Psa 40:1 : I waited patiently and expectantly for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry.
Practically every person I know is Waiting for something or the other in their lives. One of the greatest tests we face as a Christian is the test of waiting. There are people who are waiting for the answers to many prayers; some are waiting for their dear ones to be savedby accepting Jesus; Some are waiting for a life partner, some for their broken marriages to be restored, yet others are waiting to receive their promise child, yet others to see the hand of God moving on their childrenand their salvation; Some are waiting for a healingfor their illnesses; People are waiting to be filled with the spirit of God; Some are waiting to get a good job; Many are waiting for a promotion or a deliverance in their jobs; Some are waiting for their ministry doorsto open; Some are waiting for God to spark a revival in their midst.
Whatever stage you are in, dear friend, the bible offers precious comfort for those who are facing the stress of waiting.
A word of Caution – Don’t fail this test !
The word of God is replete with examples of people failing their tests of waiting.
- Saul presumptuously offered a sacrifice when he was tired of waiting for Samuel (1 Sam 13:8-10) and the Lord removed the kingdom from him and gave it to David.
- In another instance, when Moses was in the mount of God receiving the law from the Lord, the children of Israel grew tired of waiting for Moses to come back and they asked Aaron to make them an idol (Ex 32:1).
- While Abraham was waiting for the promised child, he tried to help God by fathering an Ishmael (a son of the flesh - who was not even considered as a son by God because God called Isaac as Abraham's only son - Gen 22:2 )
- And then we have Peter, who got tired of waiting and went fishing along with 6 other chosen ones (Jn 21:3) and would have lost his calling but for the mercy of the Lord.
The period of waiting is a time when the believer may lose his patience and he will try to help God or produce an idol or act presumptuously and do his own thing. Be careful that this is not your response in this season of waiting.
Wait patiently & Expect Him to act
Ps 40:1 says: the psalmist waited patiently and expectantly for the Lord. There is waiting and there is "patient and expectant" waiting. The Lord wants us to cultivate an expectancy and patience while we are waiting for the Lord. Dear child of God, these are the basic qualities of faith - and if you believe in the Lord Jesus, you need to possess these qualities and nurture & grow them. Faith in God demands that we accept His sovereignty and we know that His plans for us are good even when we don't see our life going the way we like to.
Wait for the Lord – Not for His gifts
The other thing is: Often, in our lives, we are waiting for certain things to happen. If you introspect with an honest heart, we are not waiting for God but we are waiting for the physical & spiritual gifts that the Lord can give us! There is a huge difference. We become tired and weary and bitter in our waiting period because our focus is on the circumstances and not on the Lord. The Word says: if you are waiting upon the Lord, you will renew your strength and you will mount up like eagles and we shall not be weary. (Isa 40:31) The Lord says: they that wait on the lord shall not be ashamed ! (Psa 25:3) The Lord says: Blessed are they that wait for Him. (Isa 30:18) Wait on the Lord and He shall save you ! (Prov 20:22)
It’s worth the wait
When I meditate on "waiting for the Lord", I am reminded of some of the barren women who waited before the Lord gave them a child. (Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Leah, Manoah’s wife, Hannah, Elisabeth, etc) There are many profound lessons for all of us who are waiting for an answer to prayer in any topic. Was it too difficult for the Lord to grant them their prayers instantaneously ? The reason for the Lord choosing to make them wait was:-
1) They were trained to exercise prayer & faithin those times and were transformedin the periods of waiting.
2) The children that they were waiting for, grew up to be mighty giants of Faith who did exploits for the Lord. Great things take time to forge in the Lord’s hands.
And as Rom 8:28 says, all things work together for the good of those who love God and who are called to His purpose.
Wait on the Lord and Keep His Way ! And He shall exalt you to inherit the land - Psa 37:34 - Be patient, dear friend, in the times when you are waiting. Do not depart from the way of the Lord and He shall honor your patience with an eternal reward ! Lam 3:25-26 reminds us that the Lord is good to those who wait for him. Wait on the Lord and hope in His word ! (Psa 130:5). And He shall turn to you and hear your cry!
God Bless !
