“But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” – Romans 8:25
Waiting is not an easy thing to do. Right now, we are waiting for the results of yesterday’s elections. Some folks are glued to their televisions or computer screens as they wait, hoping to hear the minute the results are made known. Others are lamenting their waiting woes to friends or family. Even if there is no outward manifestation of waiting, most of us are waiting for the final results of the presidential election.
Elections are not the only thing for which we wait. I remember waiting for the birth of my children. Both were about a month late according to the dates the doctor gave me. It was very difficult to wait, but I was powerless to speed things up. Another difficult time for me was when I was waiting for the results of medical tests. Wondering if the news would be positive or negative took its toll while I waited, but again, I could do nothing but wait. Receiving the results from my nursing exam took much longer than it does today because “way back then” the tests were not given on a computer, but rather on paper. The scoring process took nearly a month.
Our lives are filled with waiting. Tax refunds, doctor’s appointments, telephone calls, and more! Waiting can certainly tax one’s patience. However, there are times when waiting has positive repercussions.
The Bible speaks of waiting on the Lord on numerous occasions. Those times of waiting yield great results, so it is important that we embrace “waiting on the Lord.” Here are some reasons why.
- We wait for God’s strength.
- 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.”
- Psalm 27:14 – “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”
- We wait for God’s goodness.
- Lamentations 3:25 – “The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.”
- We wait for what God is preparing for us.
- Isaiah 64:4 – “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.”
- We wait for God to hear us.
- Psalm 40:1 – “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.”
- We wait for God’s salvation.
- Psalm 25:5 – “Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.”
- We wait for the Lord’s return.
- Luke 12:36 – “And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.”
Waiting on the Lord requires trusting the Lord. In order to wait, we must trust that God’s timing is what is best for us. We must remember that He knows exactly what needs to be accomplished and when it needs to be done. Isaiah 55:9 records God’s words, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” When we trust Him, it is easier to wait. Not necessary “easy,” but “easier.” Remembering that He only acts in our best interest helps us rest in Him. As our trust grows, so will our ability to wait for His perfect timing.
There’s not a mountain too tall,
There’s not a problem too small
That Jesus can’t resolve.
In time He’ll get involved,
Our God He cares about us
So wait on the Lord,
Wait on the Lord,
Wait on the Lord,
And He’ll renew your strength
(from “Wait on the Lord” by James Wilson)
Psalm 130:5 “I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.”
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God is never late; He is always right on time. Trust Him and wait.