God sometimes places us in a holding pattern where we think that nothing is happening, but something is happening even though nothing is happening.

<p>God sometimes places us in a holding pattern where we think that nothing is happening, but something is happening even though nothing is happening.</p>

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

Ouachita Hills College

David Shin

The Holding Pattern

Father in Heaven, thank you for the Sabbath, a reminder of creation and redemption, a reminder that we need to rest in you, that We can't make ourselves holy, but we can rest in the assurance every 7 days that it's only God and God alone who can make us holy.

So we thank you for this continual reminder of creation and redemption.

I pray that you would give these ideas and thoughts some semblance of understanding that through your spirit would touch hearts tonight that Jesus would be uplifted and Christ would be seen.

We ask these things in the precious name of Jesus Christ.

It was 2004, and there I was, sitting in the senior pastor's office of a thousand-member church that will go unnamed in an Adventist community.

I was single, straight out of the seminary, and they were trying to figure out where to put this single pastor, because, you know, you can't put him in the middle of nowhere to die, praise God, they didn't do that to me.

And so they're trying to figure out where to put this single pastor, because you can't put him in the middle of nowhere to die.

And so they're trying to figure out where to put this young man.

And So I'm sitting there, and I don't really want it, and praise God, the senior pastor took 1 look at me and said, you're not my first choice.

And I looked at him, and I said, you're not either.

No, no, no, no, no, no, revisionist history, my memory's failing me.

I said, actually, youth pastoring is not really a good fit for me either, and I walked out of there and I thought, that man don't like me, and I said, this ain't happening.

Next you know, conference calls me and says, David, you're going to this church.

That's what happens when you're not ordained.

You know that man doesn't want you because you're not the first choice and you basically told him the same thing, and so he's like, I guess this has to work.

And to make matters worse, there was a young lady that actually had her master's in youth ministry that was applying for the job and she didn't get it, and in walks Mr.

Suddenly takes her job and we overlap for 6 months.

I felt bad for her, I felt bad for me, I felt bad for everything.

I had just graduated with a master's degree in theological studies, and I'm like, youth ministry?

I came out with words like soteriology, eschatology, hermitology, everyology, and these young people are like, what language is this man talking?

And I remember 1 of my mentors pulled me aside and said, David, they can't understand you.

And so here I am, giving Bible studies to eight-year-olds, and I'm wondering, Lord, what did I do wrong?

I mean, the analysis in heaven and the protocol, there was a mix-up here.

And to make matters even worse, if it could be possible, is that I was third string in the preaching lineup.

And number 3, little old me, which meant 1 time a year.

And the Lord had me stay there for 4 years.

My parents would call me and be like, David, are you okay?

There's something called a holding pattern.

Clark in flight, and according to Wikipedia, which is gospel, right?

They say it's usually an oval course flown by aircraft awaiting further clearance, especially to land.

In other words, a holding pattern is basically you're going nowhere.

You're just circling around, and I read about these forums where they said, hey, what's the longest holding pattern you've ever been in?

And 1 individual says that he took a two-hour flight.

It should have been a two-and-a-half-an-hour flight.

It turned into a five-hour flight, and he said it felt like 10 years up there.

When you're wondering, when am I ever going to land?

I knew that this was not my final destination.

I knew that this was not my destiny, at least I hope not, But I was there for 4 years.

Now, young people, that's a long time, right?

That's like a fourth of your life, academy students.

And for me, straight out of seminary, that was a long time in my 20s.

And so there I was, in a holding pattern.

You feel like you're going in circles, and it makes no sense.

And yet, This is God's number 1 way, or I should say, His number 1 option in terms of a curriculum.

We're talking about true education here, right?

When it comes to 101, or his modus operandi, or the mode that he chooses in training people for leadership positions, is that he places them Many times in a holding pattern.

A place where you're wondering when it will ever end.

A place where you are thinking, what am I doing here?

And quite frankly, I am wasting my time and my talent just going around.

And maybe, I hope you don't feel this way, but maybe you feel like you're in a holding pattern here at Watchtow Hills College or Academy.

Maybe there's some staff that feel like that.

You may not think that this is your final destination, but for whatever reason, God has placed you there.

Now let me give you some biblical examples very quickly.

He was to be prime minister of Egypt, and he had some inkling that he was destined for greatness.

Now look, Joseph was a spoiled brat, I'm sorry.

Coddled by his father, given the best coat, and you would think this brother would have a little bit of IQ to think, look, I can't tell him this dream because they're going to hate me, but he goes in there and says, oh, the sun and the moon and the stars, I wonder who that could be?

And then they sell him as a slave and look at his holding pattern.

The Holding Pattern

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