WAITING

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27:14 ESV)

But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. (Micah 7:7 ESV)

Most of us probably tend to grow impatient when we have to wait. The world’s desire for immediate gratification has influenced us deeply. We hate waiting on fast food or on eBay to deliver our purchases. This carries over into our spiritual lives as well.

Waiting seems to be one way that God builds our character. Waiting during challenging times helps us to understand our dependency on God and grow in intimacy with Him. Waiting means confidence in God’s wisdom. It means trusting in God’s promises, providence, and sovereignty.

Waiting on God does not mean sitting down in a comfortable chair and taking a break. It is spending time in God’s Word and praying for wisdom. Waiting on God will result in a prosperous spirit and renewed strength. (Isaiah 40:30-31, ESV) Waiting on God includes keeping His Word in our hearts. We commit ourselves to biblical actions of faith in God’s goodness, provision and timing.

Regardless of our age or social status, waiting is a part of everyone’s life. Think of God’s waiting room as His classroom! Perhaps our waiting is a matter of timing, but often it is about learning wisdom. The truth may be that God is waiting on us to learn to be more like Jesus. Waiting on the Lord requires self-discipline and submission. Patience is difficult, but our own natural abilities are insufficient to carry out God’s purpose for our lives.

By waiting for the Lord, we put our future in God’s hands. As we anticipate the fulfillment of God’s promises, we grow in trust in God. We live with the wonderful anticipation of seeing Him and glorifying Him through our lives. There is both strength and peace in living like this. In the end, when Jesus returns, our Lord’s kingdom will extend over all creation and our blessings will reach mammoth quantities above and beyond our current hopes. Isaiah describes waiting for the Lord like this:

Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:30-31 ESV)