Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalms 27:14 (KJV)
We’ve all heard it before: patience is a virtue and good things come to those who wait, but let’s be honest, no one likes waiting. Let me just speak for myself and say, patience has not been my strong suit, although I am learning constantly and striving to improve.
Waiting can be difficult, frustrating and downright discouraging. Waiting on God is a whole other matter entirely. When we are in “God’s waiting room,” it can feel as though He isn’t hearing us, especially when we’ve been praying ceaselessly but aren’t seeing any changes in our situations.
The Feeling of Being Forgotten
Almost a year ago my younger sister, who had been waiting on the Lord for a breakthrough, told me that she felt like God had forgotten about her. I did my best to encourage her and when she asked me what she should pray for in order to stop feeling so anxious, the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 94:19 came to me “In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul,” so I encouraged her to pray for the peace of the Lord to quell her anxious mind and for the faith to trust His timing. A few weeks later, she told me she was no longer anxious; she was actually excited. When I asked what changed, she said simply, “I started praying more.”
Let me caution you here, though, because waiting on God is not just about praying without ceasing until he grants the desires of your heart. Yes, praying is extremely important but do you believe that he is able to do what you ask, do you trust him with your whole heart and are listening to what is trying to say to you even as you wait? Let’s examine these further.
Do You Believe?
“Do you believe that I am able to do this?” Matthew 9:28 (ESV)
This may seem like a simple question. You might even say, “Well, of course I believe,” but do you really? When you search your heart, do you believe viscerally that he is able to do “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20)? or are you just hoping that maybe it will work out if you pray enough?
If you don’t truly believe that he can do it, then you are wasting your time. God cannot work with unbelief. Our God is limitless, but when we allow unbelief to creep in and take root, we limit His movement in our lives. Jesus said in Matthew 17:20 that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. A mustard seed is very tiny; He can work with “a little” faith, but He cannot work with “no” faith.
Do you trust Him?
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (KJV)
If we believe that He can do what we ask, then we have to trust him to do it in his own time. Admittedly, this is easier said than done but remember that God is not constrained by time as we are. His perspective is eternal. He sees the past, present and the future. Think of it like a giant puzzle. We only see a few pieces at a time, but He holds the complete picture. It makes sense that He knows exactly where each piece fits. His plans are to prosper you and not to harm you (Jeremiah 29:11). If He is asking you to wait, trust that there is purpose in the wait. Don’t obsess over the “destination” so much that you miss what He is doing in you during the journey.
Are you listening?
“And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.” Luke 10:39 (KJV)
In the story of Mary and Martha, Mary chose to sit at the feet of Jesus to listen. Like Mary, I would love nothing more than to sit at his feet and take in every word but sometimes the noise of the world can drown out what he is speaking in our lives.
God desires for us to be in a relationship with Him and relationships require two-way communication. Just as we speak to Him, I believe He wants to speak to us too. When you are in the waiting room, spend time in His presence, not just to talk, but to listen. Sometimes the thing we’re waiting on God for, isn’t in line with his will or plan for our lives, which is one of the reasons why it is important for us to listen and discern his will. Author and blogger, Matt Smethurst sums this point up perfectly, “If God closes a door in your life, there’s no guarantee he’ll open a window. He may not open anything. He may want you to realize you have the wrong address.”
Are you waiting in vain?
You never wait in vain when you wait on God. Isaiah: 40:31 tells us, “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.” He remains faithful even in our wait and He provides exactly what we need to endure.
The Recap
Whenever you find yourself in God’s waiting room, remember:
- Remain in prayer.
- Believe He is able.
- Trust His timing and His plan.
- Listen to His voice.
Lastly: while you wait, you might as well worship.
