Waiting

Waiting………

I’ve thought a lot about our waiting. It seems to be never ending. The RV we ordered in February……still waiting. The vacation we planned to do over the end of July……didn’t happen. The beginning of ministry for Through the Eyes of our Tribe……still waiting. Routine after being in limbo all summer…..still waiting.

Waiting is so counter-cultural…..we are out of practice……we don’t like it……..it feels defeating and desperate and goes against all of the hurry that we encourage.

Yet sometimes the Lord asks us to wait. How do we become wiser and better for waiting? How do we wait well?

Recently, as I wrestled with my emotions of frustration late one evening, I began to look at different verses in the Bible that mention waiting. I was hoping that I could learn something, or gain some insight and encouragement, from those who had practice waiting. As I looked, I came across this verse in Psalms…..

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Psalms‬

Psalms is a beautiful collection of King David’s thoughts, prayers, and songs. This particular chapter begins with a soliloquy of sorts as David expresses his reliance on the Lord. The chapter then continues with a prayer and concludes with these two verses of confident faith in waiting.

I think these two verses give us three ways to wait well.
1. Remain confident.
2. Be strong.
3. Take heart.

I’m here to tell you that as you wait, Satan will try his best to distract you. He will threaten your confidence by creating DOUBT. He will threaten your strength by causing you to FEAR. He will distract your focus by causing you to WORRY. He WILL try his best to distract you.

How do I know? Because as I’m trying to wait well, I’m having to daily refocus and readjust my mindset to be confident, strong, and take heart. This daily process, for me, looks like consistent time in the Word and daily reminders to myself of God’s call on our lives…..reminders of what I know……not necessarily how I feel.

Why is waiting well so important? Because this verse tells us that we will see goodness in the land of the living!!!! GOODNESS!!! Who doesn’t want to see the goodness of God when so much around us seems to be bad?

I’m here to encourage you to wait well, my friends. And I hope you’ll remind me too.