waiting

I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."

The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;

it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

Lamentations 3:24-26

Waiting involves a process. As well as the hope, longing and anticipation of a good outcome. Or perhaps dread, fear and anxiety in receiving possibly bad news, or in simply waiting.

Waiting on God for us as God's people in Jesus involves participation in a sense with God. It's to that end. So that we're not taking matters into our own hands, but praying, and doing what we know we should do. Leaving room for God and for his working.

How often in my life I've taken matters into my own hands, and have had to live with the consequences. And worst of all we don't learn faith when we do that. A big part of waiting is learning to trust God and believe in his promises through whatever circumstance we find ourselves in.

So waiting is probably as much for us who wait as it is for everyone and everything else that is involved in God's working. Therefore waiting is something we should not shun, but embrace and practice. Finding our peace and joy in God in the midst of it.

What does waiting mean to you? Why is it so hard for us? Or any thoughts on it.

waiting on God

Last Sunday we had a good message and theme in our church on waiting on God. I think for us in Jesus this is a most important discipline of faith.

How often are we unsure what to do in a given situation? What should we do? I know what I have done way too often in my life. Take matters in my own hands. Or exhaust myself trying to figure out what to do. But what should we be doing?

We should wait on the Lord. By prayer. By being in the word. More prayer. Searching. In the word. And more prayer after that. I include searching, because, yes, we may need to get more information as well as counsel from godly, and knowledgeable (on the subject) people. But we must do so as those who are waiting on the Lord.

I think I've made progress in my life, but I still don't think I'm that good at waiting. Like our Pastor Jack, I too can be impatient, or want the answer now. We live in an instant society when most everything is readily accessible to us. So we can be flabby and weak in the practice of waiting on God.

Do we have a problem now, or a difficult decision to make? Chances are we might have both. Let's make it first priority with all else we do to wait. Wait on the Lord. I need to do so. And I have a wife that is better at it than I am. So I ask her to wait with me.

What thoughts might you have perhaps from your own life about waiting on God?