Waiting is one of those things that I do not do very well. I am a little hyper and I like to have a time slot for almost everything. I never want to be late, and I don’t work well with those who are habitually late. It is a virtue I am still working on.
In the Bible, we are commanded to wait on the Lord several times. In the Old Testament, most situations of waiting are about waiting for God’s care. Yet, in the New Testament, the waiting is usually related to Christ second coming. Both are encouraging us to wait expecting God to do something. In Psalm 27:14 we are to be encouraged while we wait. When we are content in Him waiting will not be hard because we know He is in control and working for our good.
Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”
The writer of this Psalm knew a lot about waiting. If there ever was a person who seemed to be waiting it was David. He waited in the fields with sheep. Standing, watching, and waiting for their welfare. He waited in the house of Saul for Saul’s direction on what to do. He waited in caves, fields, buildings, and forests for safety from Saul. He waited to see if his child would live.
Waiting is not sitting and wringing our hands wondering what will happen. Waiting is about trusting God, holding on with anticipation to the promises of God. Keeping our focus on Him instead of ourselves. Waiting is about releasing our situation to God and being ready to act when he says go.
Waiting is trusting God’s timing, not mine. It’s believing that he is working where I cannot see. He is getting everything in place for what is best for me. He is working on my behalf in areas I can’t.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
In Psalm 62:1 there is a waiting that is a confident expectation or hope in God. The waiting is based on the Lord’s ability not ours.
Psalm 62:1 “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.
When trusting God with the timing we cannot get impatient, step in, and take over. This is one of the hardest things for us to do. We live in a society where everything is instant. We use a microwave for quick food. We google for quick answers and ride airplanes for quick trips. Waiting is a lost art in our society. It’s no wonder people expect this kind of action in their spiritual life. However, waiting on the Lord produces character in our lives because it requires patience. Patience is the fruit of waiting. When we have come to the end of waiting we will be satisfied with what God is doing. We will be content knowing he knows best.
James 1:3-4 “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
Waiting builds anticipation. I remember as a child waiting for Christmas morning to come. As a young child, I only received toys on special occasions, like Christmas and birthdays. My parents had trained me and my siblings to not expect more than they could give. We were grateful and excited for whatever we received. I knew my parents loved me more than life itself and would do the very best they could for me. It should be the same with God. We know he will not make us wait just because he can. We wait for what he knows is best for us, not for the moment, but for the big picture of eternity.
If you have waited on the Lord and have been disappointed in what he allowed to happen, take heart in knowing that you are not fully aware of the big picture. It is hard to cease following our own agenda, but it is necessary for God to exchange our weakness for His strength.
II Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
When Paul wrote II Corinthians he had, as he stated a “thorn in the flesh.” He didn’t understand why God would not remove it. He asks three times, but whatever his thorn was, it remained in him. If you read the entire passage you will see that he comes to the realization that his affliction is given to him for his betterment. The grace that he would receive to endure the affliction would serve him greater in the future than the removal of it. He waited on the Lord.
Sometimes waiting on the Lord is so that we can see his great power. In Exodus 14:14, the Israelites seemed to be trapped by the Red Sea in front of them, and Pharaoh’s army quickly approaching behind them. They were afraid and complaining to Moses that they would have been better off to have stayed in Egypt and remained slaves rather than to die in the wilderness. Moses tells them to be still, and the Lord will fight for them. In other words, wait! Not only did he save them and kill their enemy. It was a great testimony to the Israelites and to their enemies that they serve the living and true God.
Exodus 14:13-14 “And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”
Had the Israelites not waited on the Lord they would have suffered death and enslavement as a nation. God was ready to fight for them and He did. When we view our circumstances, we may feel the same way the Israelites did, but we are looking at our situation from a human standpoint, not God’s. We need to wait on God to show us His purpose and His power.
Not waiting on God will invite trouble. Remember how Abraham and Sarah got ahead of God? If not, read Genesis chapters 16-18. There are still problems in our world today because they didn’t wait on God.
Waiting is also not being idle. While we wait we are to continue to work for the Lord in all that we know to do. Waiting is putting our problem in God’s hands, trusting in His time, and being confident the outcome will be the best for us in the long run. While we wait on instructions on what to do, we continue to do what we know he wants us to do. As we study, pray, and serve we gain strength. Others are challenged. They watch our actions and see our God in how we handle ourselves. We are always working and serving while God is working out our situation. I love the following verse. The mental image of an eagle soaring above the circumstances, and enjoying the ride while waiting to land encourages my heart.
Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Are you making the most of your waiting?
