By: Sarah Geringer
Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
Psalm 27:14 NLT
Everyone is waiting on something today. Election results. Test results. A prodigal's return. A relationship to be healed. A sickness to turn toward health.
Waiting is not what we like to do. In our fast-paced society, waiting makes us feel nervous, frustrated, angry and scared. It tempts us to become the worst versions of ourselves.
If we don't wait well, we can become distant from God. We may think he doesn't care. We might even blame him for what's going on. It's hard for us to see how God is working while we wait, and hard to hang on to hope too.
Many people in the Bible had to wait on God. Their testimonies can inspire us while we are waiting. Here are just a few examples:
- Noah waited many years for the rain to fall, though he had never seen rain before.
- Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years to have Isaac.
- Joseph waited 13 years for God to fulfill his promises.
- Hannah had a long, painful wait for her womb to be opened.
- David waited around 10 years to become king of Israel.
- Paul waited three years in preparation before spreading the Gospel to the Gentiles.
And, our Lord Jesus waited patiently in obscurity before our Father called him to public ministry. He knows what waiting is like, and he understands the temptations we face while waiting.
Psalm 27:14 gives us three virtues to pursue while we wait. It gives us something to work toward, instead of flailing around in panic and disdain. When we pursue these virtues, we can grow in faith while we are waiting, instead of sliding backward into doubt.
1. Patience
This virtue is not very popular with us. But God holds it in high regard. It is one of the fruits of the spirit, meaning that we can depend on the Holy Spirit to bear it in us rather than generating it ourselves. It's also one of the virtues described in 2 Peter 1:5-8 that we need to become spiritually mature. Ask God to help you be patient while you wait, and he will be delighted to answer that prayer.
2. Bravery
When I think about being brave, I think about taking a firm stand in the face of great risk. We face risk in many of our waiting periods. We don't know what the test results will indicate, whether the relationship can be salvaged, or if a legal battle will be in our favor. However, we can be brave because God is our strength and our salvation. When I need to feel brave, I meditate on Psalm 18 and draw strength from God's characteristics there.
3. Courage
Courage is linked to faith. When we wait with courage, we show others that we believe God can do anything he wants, even work miracles if he chooses. We can give God our faith the size of a mustard seed and courageously trust that he will strengthen and empower it as we wait. We can also say, "Everything is possible for the one who believes," like Jesus said HERE.
Write Psalm 27:14 down and meditate on it every time you need an infusion of patience, bravery or courage. I pray that your faith will be strengthened as you wait and pursue these godly virtues.
Want more encouragement for waiting well in prayer? Check out these related posts:
Blessings and God's peace to you,
Finding Peace in God's Word
Thanks to BibleGateway.com for easy scripture navigation!
Waiting is one of the hardest things. And, unfortunately, we can fall into scheming or fearing or doubting while we wait. How we need to keep bringing our focus back on the Lord and His timing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading and sharing today, Barbara!
DeleteWaiting seems to be a theme in the blogging community these days. This was my topic last week as well as several other writers. God must be trying to tell us something. You are right. If we don't wait well it creates a strain on our relationship with God.
ReplyDeleteSo glad that when we wait on God it isn't in vain. And our confidence is renewed because He knows all things. Plus we have an opportunity to be attentive to God's voice!
ReplyDeleteHe just knows more than we do, and has better timing and plans.
ReplyDelete