Waiting
Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Technically we are all waiting on God. He holds the future in His hands – in His providence He is moving all things towards an expected end.
Psalm 27:14 is focusing on the attitude with which we wait.
A Biblically based, God honoring balance of several different types of waiting is best.
- Passive Waiting – Be calm and acknowledge that He is God. Don’t worry. Don’t fret. Watch for Him to move.
- Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
- Active Waiting – Let the light of Christ shine in you for His glory. Keep busy with what God has given you to do. Use your gifts and resources as you wait for Him.
- Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
- Confident Waiting – Rest assured with all that you are that He knows and will do what is best. Worry shows a lack of faith that He does all things well and for our benefit.
- Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
- Fearful Waiting – Don’t lose the awe and reverence of how God moves over time, in circumstances, and through people to bless us and accomplish His will.
- Luke 9:16-17 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. 17 So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.
- Anticipatory Waiting – Beyond trusting, expect God to do great things. He is always faithful!!!
- Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
- Open-Minded Waiting – As you expect God to move, don’t limit your thinking on how or when He will do what He does. If you develop ‘tunnel vision’, you may not recognize what He is doing.
- 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
- Appreciative Waiting – Are you being thankful for what God does in your life and all around you? What about being thankful for when He does what He does – HIS TIMING IS ALWAYS PERFECT!!!
- Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
- Spirit-Led Waiting – Waiting on God is such a way that the indwelling presence of God is revealed in your desires, attitudes, words and actions.
- Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Does your life reflect a Biblical approach to waiting on God?
Prayer
Father, you know how much I worry. You patiently endure my complaining. I imagine You laughing as you watch me evaluating options and then weighing costs and benefits. Forgive me for not resting in Your love and power and grace and mercy. Forgive me for not trusting in Your plans. May Your Word and Your Spirit guide me and teach me to wait on You in a way that brings glory and honor to Your Name. I believe, but help my unbelief. I trust, please help me to live like it. Thank You for loving me perfectly. In the precious and powerful name of Christ I pray, Amen.
