There is something so difficult about waiting, especially when we're waiting on something that's life-changing. Whether it's waiting to hear back from an interview for your dream job or waiting for an important doctor visit result, the time spent waiting can seem excruciating. We pray to God for an answer, and expect it fast. The time slips by slowly, like watching wet paint dry. Each morning we check our phones anxiously, hoping for an update. Alas, no update to be found. Another day of waiting.
How can we find joy in this season? How is that even possible? How can we follow the words of Psalm 27:14, "Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!"
Today, we're sharing a few of our thoughts on how to make it through this season of waiting by leaning on God and finding little moments of joy in the everyday things to keep you positive.
Dependency Is Beautiful
"But they who wait for 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." ~ Isaiah 40:31
We were not created to be self-sufficient. There's nothing about our faith walk that points to us needing to be independent or self-reliant. We were created by God to live alongside Him, reaching out to Him throughout all of our circumstances, both big and small. In this way, we're called to be children relying on our father.
"He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me." ~ Matthew 18:2-5
Waiting on the Lord is a reminder of our dependency.
When all is well and we're getting everything we want in a timely manner, we tend to feel in control. Our need for God wanes and we begin to think that we have it all figured out. These seasons of waiting are deeply precious reminders of our desperate need for a Savior. In this way, these seasons of waiting are a gift—although it can be hard to believe!
Just like the Isaiah 40 passage calls out about, those who wait on the Lord are strengthened. Somehow, as we exercise patience and lean on God, we are equipped with wisdom and power to make it through. Knowing this can give us the little boost we need to end the day on a positive note.
A Result Worth Waiting For
"The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him." ~ Lamentations 3:25
There are plenty of Bible verses praising those who wait on the Lord. It's a tricky thing, but so worth it in the end. Through our season of waiting, we're allowing God to have His way with us. He's accomplishing His perfect will through our lives.
Don't believe us? Think of infamous figures from the Bible who exercised patience and waited on the Lord, even in the most painful, dire of circumstances.
Think of Job and everything he lost—his family, his friends, his possessions, his health. After a long season of wrestling with God and seeking Him out, the Lord blesses Job with even more than he could have ever imagined.
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The Lord brought more good to Job in his later years than in his beginning. He had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 2,000 oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys." ~ Job 42:12
What's even greater than those things, Job came to know God in such a unique way. As we mentioned in our previous blog post,
Where Is God in My Grief?, our God is close to those who suffer. Those who suffer come to experience Jesus' character and love in an entirely different way, and that alone is precious.
We also have to consider how all of us are in a season of waiting, to some extent. Jesus died and rose from the dead and we anxiously await His return to earth—a place that desperately needs Him. We're living in the anxiety-inducing in-between. God's kingdom is here, but it's not here yet. It's a delicate balance, but we're experiencing firsthand what it's like to wait on our Lord.
Keep the Faith
Waiting is no fun. Trust us, we get it! Sometimes it helps to have that little reminder of God's assurance. Be sure to check out our selection of Christian t-shirts that provide that extra boost of positivity and hope to keep your head held high during this season.
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Thank you for your beautiful post sharing God’s wisdom. I would like to share you post with a friend but not sure how to do that.
Tracy Sloan