Marking time

Not sure why my precollege music days are in the forefront of my mind today,but I look back with fond memories to the orchestra, jazz band, swing band and marching band. What does that have to do with marking time? In marching band, when we were not making forward progress, our band director told us to mark time. We were not still, but we were not moving forward either. We basically were marching in place. My mind started to wander. Is marking time a good thing or a negative. I guess that depends. By definition marking time means: 1. To move the feet alternately in the rhythm of a marching step without advancing. 2. To suspend progress for the time being; wait in readiness. 3. To function in an apathetic or ineffective manner. Do you see both the good and the bad? The waiting in readiness is good. But I'm concerned about "not advancing" or "an apathetic or ineffective manner". And just as I started to mull over the definitions God spoke and let me know sometimes He instructs us to mark time, be obedient. But if He is urging us to make forward progress and we are pushing back on Him, then there is a problem. So is God trying to drag you out of your situation and you are pulling back with disobedience or did He say stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Hmmmm.