Psalm 25: 3 – 5; “Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.”
Waiting on God’s timing is neither passive nor idle – it takes discipline and commitment. I can think of four basic requirements for successful waiting.
Isaiah 55: 8 & 9 says; “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ays my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Faith: The Lord’s ways and timing are nothing like ours. From a human standpoint, He usually does things in a totally different way than we expect. But as we trust Him more, we’ll discover that His approach isn’t so strange after all.
And when we live in harmony with God’s will, His timing starts to make sense.
Humility: To wait for the Lord you must be convinced of your need for Him.
Submission to His divine will requires humility – you cannot charge ahead with your own plans and at the same time be fully surrendered to God.
Patience: Are you willing to remain in your current position until you receive clear divine direction? Pausing for clarity from God does not mean that you disengage and allow circumstances to fall apart around you. Waiting upon the Lord is a deliberate decision that requires patience.
Courage: Waiting for God often takes courage, especially when there is pressure to act. If you’re not careful, you might stop listening to the Lord and follow other advice. So keep your ear attuned to the voice of Almighty God, and you won’t go wrong.
Waiting upon the Lord is one of the wisest, most important decisions we make in life. And contrary to popular assumptions, it is an active endeavor that requires faith, humility, patience, and courage. When you rely upon God and wait for His timing, the various facets of life fall into place.
When we face turmoil, we always have direct access to heaven through prayer.
When we can’t control our anguish, we know God is in control of the answers.
When we’re afraid of the outcome, we can pour out our soul to God, knowing He hears every plea, knows every cry, and cares for the need of every frightening moment.
I firmly believe that God has something to teach us through every experience, and therefore we should wait on Him with Faith, Humility, Patience, and Courage.