“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” – Psalm 27:14
Our lives often include significant milestones—obtaining a driver’s license, graduating high school, becoming a follower of Christ, going to college, landing a job, getting married, having children, buying our first house, seeing our kids getting married, having grandchildren, retiring, etc.--and in order to reach those milestones we wait.
The definition of waiting is to remain in place. To be ready and available. Several characters in the Bible meet this definition’s criteria: Abraham waiting for a promise to be fulfilled; Joseph waiting in prison for a purpose; Moses, Caleb and Joshua waiting in the wilderness in the hope of God’s promise; Job waiting through suffering; David waiting to be king at the appointed time; and even Habakkuk waiting for God’s vindication and victory over the Babylonians.
What do all of these Bible characters have in common?
· They were ready to receive.
· They were actively displaying their trust in God.
· They were confidently expecting something promised to take place.
· They were actively participating in life (not sitting idle).
· They were refining the art of patience and perseverance.
What’s our role in waiting?
1. Believe that God hears my cry. “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” – Micah 7:7
2. Watch. “O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.” – Psalm 5:3
3. Hope in His Word. “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His Word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.” (Watchmen in the Bible were guards responsible for protecting towns and military personnel from danger and surprise attacks and stationed on high walls.) Lean into the Lord and depend on His firm foundation. Be diligent and watchful against attacks from the enemy. Remember that Christ and His Word bring hope and joy, not our circumstances.
4. Trust in the Lord. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
5. Resist fretting. Refrain from anger and be still. “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.” – Psalm 37:7-8
6. Be strong and courageous. “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” – Psalm 14
7. See waiting as an opportunity. What opportunities are being given to you during your season of waiting? Study God’s Word. Serve others. Share the Good News. “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks Him.” – Lamentations 3:25
8. Continue to be mindful. Ponder the ways in which the Lord has been faithful to you. He will accomplish His purpose. “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” – 1 Corinthians 1:9
9. Remember the blessings to come (both earthly and heavenly). “Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him.” – Isaiah 30:18 ”Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” – Colossians 3:2-4.
Consider: Time is irrelevant with the Lord. His timeline is as wide as it is wise. We may feel as if the waiting is long and arduous, but know that He will work out His perfect will (albeit not necessarily ours) in His time.
With Love In Christ,
Diana