Waiting

Quote:  Waiting on God is not inactivity.

Scripture:  Lamentations 3:21-26 (NIV) “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:  Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness.  I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for Him.’ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him.  It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” 

Some Thoughts:  What happens when we are impatient?  For most of us, we complain; we gripe; we murmur; we even become irritated or angry. There is a passage in James that talks about being patient in “waiting”.  In this passage, we read “be patient” three different times.  (James 5:7-10)

The example of a farmer waiting for the precious fruit after the early spring rains and late fall rains is given in verse 7.  Just as the precious fruit needs the rain, God knows what is deep in the soil of our hearts that needs to be nurtured and cared for and watered in order to produce good fruit.  This time of “waiting” can be a time of nurturing and healing in our souls to bring about a harvest of precious fruit.

Verse 10 gives examples of the good of waiting on the Lord:  the prophets endured/persevered and were “blessed.”  Job is an example of the outcome of his endurance, faith, and waiting – he was doubly blessed!

In the middle of this passage is a HUGE hidden gem.  Verse 8 says: “strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.”

How do we strengthen our hearts?

Isaiah 40:31 ESV – “They who wait on the Lord (some versions say “trust” in 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.” 

There are a lot of things happening in the “waiting”.  Waiting brings a renewal of strength, to the point of soaring on wings like eagles, and running without becoming tired or faint.

The big “aha” for me is that waiting is not inactivity.  It is NOT sitting and doing nothing.  It is NOT being imprisoned, chained, or restricted.  It IS intentional and there is activity involved.  It is being attentive, patient, trusting, having endurance, perseverance…there’s a lot of activity in that!  That is what Advent is about…not simply “waiting” for Christmas, but a time of “waiting on the Lord”. It can be a time of preparing our hearts, renewing our minds, being intentional to listen to Him through reading the Bible, and drawing near to Him.

Wait - even though circumstances may not be what you want – as He may be growing your character or healing you in ways that might not happen without the “wait”.  This involves trust – trust that He knows what is best for you.  Endure and persevere with the knowledge that He will reward your “waiting”.

There is another Scripture that tells what the results of “waiting on the Lord” are.  Look at all the underlined things that God does.  All I need to do is wait patiently.  Psalm 40:1-3 – “I waited patiently for the Lord (my job), and He turned to me and heard my cry for help.   He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure.  He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear and they will trust in the Lord.”  Don’t skip over the last sentence.  Not only does God reward us for our patient waiting, but He uses our time of “waiting” for many others to see and fear and put their trust in Him!

Prayer:  Lord, we truly need Your help in being patient during times of “waiting.”  We need to have our strength renewed.  Please pour Your healing rain upon the soil of our hearts.  Thank You for hearing our cry for help and for turning to us, picking us up out of a desolate pit, setting us on solid ground where our feet are secure.  We sing a song of praise to You as we see the good that You are doing!

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