John 5:1-18
Some waiting is short and defined. And then there is the kind of waiting that stretches on so long it begins to shape who we are.
In John 5, we meet a man who has been waiting for healing for thirty-eight years. He waits by the pool, watching others step ahead of him, hoping that this time might be different. Over time, the waiting becomes more than a season, it becomes a way of life. His identity, his expectations, even his sense of possibility are shaped by how long he has been there.
When Jesus meets him, there is no commentary on why he has waited so long. No explanation. No blame. Just presence. And then a question that is both gentle and unsettling: “Do you want to be made well?”
It is a question not about effort, but about desire, about whether waiting has quietly narrowed what he believes is possible.
Many of us know this kind of waiting. Waiting for healing. Waiting for answers. Waiting for a relationship to change. Waiting for grief to ease. Waiting for justice, clarity, or peace.
In long seasons of waiting, we often do what we must to survive. We adapt. We manage expectations. We learn not to hope too much. Over time, it can feel safer to stay as we are than to risk disappointment again.
Today’s spiritual practice does not rush the waiting. It asks instead: How do we wait without losing ourselves?
- Begin by settling in.
Find a quiet place. Sit comfortably. Take a few slow breaths. Let your body arrive. - Name the waiting.
Without judgment, bring to mind something you have been waiting for, especially something that has lasted longer than you expected. You don’t need to fix it or explain it. Simply name it before God. - Notice what the waiting has shaped.
Gently ask yourself:- What has this season of waiting changed in me?
- Where have I grown weary, cautious, or guarded?
- What parts of me have remained faithful, resilient, or hopeful?
- Hold these reflections with compassion. This is not about self-critique, but about truth.
- Listen for Jesus’ question.
Imagine Jesus sitting beside you, not rushing you toward an answer. Hear him ask: “Do you want to be made well?” Notice what stirs, not what you think you should say, but what you honestly feel. There is no wrong response. - Rest in presence.
For a few moments, release the need for outcomes. Let the waiting exist alongside God’s nearness. You are not forgotten. You are not alone. You are not failing at faith.
When you are ready, take a deep breath and return gently to your day. Feel free to include the following prayer in your spiritual practice.
Faithful God, you see us in the long waiting, in the seasons that stretch our hope thin. Help us to remain rooted in who we are, even when answers feel far away. Hold us when waiting grows heavy, and meet us with your presence, again and again. Teach us to trust that new life is still possible, even here. AMEN
