06. To Wait

One of my favorite passages of Scripture — I have many favorites — is contained in Isaiah 40. The prophet writes: "Those who wait on 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). How awesome is that?

But what does it mean to wait on the Lord? Several things. One, it means that we should be patient as we seek God's will in our lives. As a general rule, we are not patient people. We are always in a hurry to get things done. We carry this impatience into our prayer life too. We petition God expecting instant results, and when he doesn't answer immediately — as often happens— we get as frustrated and angry as we get when we are stuck in traffic! However, let us realize that if he acted immediately, we would be in control, not him, and we are not wise enough to call the shots.

God will not be rushed. He will do things in his time, not ours, which brings us to the second point about waiting on God. It means we should trust in him and his timing. Have you heard the song "In his time"? The first verse goes like this: In his time, in his time / He makes all things beautiful in his time / Lord, please show me every day / As you're teaching me your way / That you do just what you say / In your time. Unlike many of us, God keeps his promises, but we have to trust that he will do things in his time, not ours. So, chill!

Three, it means we seek his guidance and direction. Very often, as we journey through life WITHOUT being led by the Holy Spirit, we get lost. We find ourselves in a spiritual desert, not knowing which way to go because everything looks the same. In such instances, we have to turn to God, asking him to lead us out of the metaphorical wilderness we find ourselves in. We might need to wait for a little during such times. 

Now, because God WANTS us to wait on him, especially if he sees us trying to get ahead of him in our impatience, he will often put the brakes on us. Life comes to a complete stop. Everything gets frozen. Nothing seems to move. This can get frustrating and tedious. However, if we wait, we will see supernatural things happen! As the psalmist declares, we will run and not be weary; we shall walk and not be faint! Leave that aside; we shall mount up with wings like eagles!

So let us wait on the Lord, knowing it is not a passive or inactive state but an active posture of trust and obedience. It involves seeking God's presence and wisdom through prayer, reading the Bible, and listening to his voice. It also involves a willingness to obey his commands and follow his lead, even when it may not make sense or go against our own desires. We have seen the importance of all these disciplines in our other choices, so let us do our best to engage in them.

God bless you.

More in this category: « 05. To Abide 07. To Look Ahead »
Click here for the extended "LIVE" versions: 1. Abundant Life
2. Perseverance
3. Humility
4. Rest
5. To Abide
6. To Wait
7. To Look Ahead
8. Light
9. Grace
10. Contentment
11. Love
12. Repentance
13. To Forgive
14. To Surrender
15. Joy
16. Faith
17. Discipline
18. Hope
19. Freedom
20. Gratitude
21. To Listen
22. Truth
23. Peace
24. Encouragement
25. To Imitate Christ
26. Friendship
27. Unity
28. To Remember
29. Conversion
30. Generosity
31. Revival
32. Integrity
33. Excellence
34. To Serve
35. Tongue Control
36. Courage
37. Wisdom
38. Purity
39. Stewardship
40. To Evangelize
Choice 01 — I Choose Abundant Life
Choice 01 — I Choose Abundant Life
Jesus said: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).
We begin our series on *40 Choices* we will make during Read More
Choice 02: I Choose Perseverance
Choice 02: I Choose Perseverance
We continue our series on #40Choices we will make during this season by choosing *Perseverance*. Please share the video and bless others.
Transcript
One day Jesus told his disciples a parable to sho Read More
Choice 03: I Choose Humility
Choice 03: I Choose Humility
We continue our series on *40 Choices* we will make during this season by choosing *Humility*. Please share the video and bless others.
Transcript
One day when Jesus was dining with a group of Phari Read More
Choice 04: I Choose Rest
Choice 04: I Choose Rest
We choose *Rest* today in our series on *40Choices*. Please share the video and bless others.
To watch the *expanded “live” versions* of these reflections, please visit https://bit.ly/hsihouseofpraye Read More
Choice 05: I Choose to Abide
Choice 05: I Choose to Abide
Today, in our series on *40 Choices*, we choose *to Abide* in Jesus Christ. To watch *expanded 30-minute live versions* of these reflections, please visit https://bit.ly/hsihouseofprayer.
Choice 06: I Choose to Wait
Choice 06: I Choose to Wait
Today, in our series on *40 Choices*, we choose to *Wait*. Please share the video and bless others.
To watch *expanded 30-minute live versions* of these reflections, please visit https://bit.ly/hsih Read More
Choice 07: I Choose to Look Ahead
Choice 07: I Choose to Look Ahead
Today, in our series on *40 Choices*, we choose to *Look Ahead* in Jesus Christ. Please share the video and bless others. 
To watch an *expanded 30-minute live version* of this reflection, please vis Read More
Choice 08: I Choose Light
Choice 08: I Choose Light
Today, in our series on *40 Choices*, we choose *Light*. Please share the video and bless others. 
To watch an *expanded 30-minute version* of this reflection, please visit https://bit.ly/hsihouseofp Read More
Choice 09: I Choose Grace
Choice 09: I Choose Grace
Today, in our series on *40 Choices*, we choose *Grace*. Please share the video and bless others. 
To watch an *expanded 30-minute version* of this reflection, please visit https://bit.ly/hsihouseofp Read More
Choice 10: I Choose Contentment
Choice 10: I Choose Contentment
Today, in our series on *40 Choices*, we choose *Contentment*. Please share the video and bless others. 
To watch an *expanded 30-minute version* of this reflection, please visit https://bit.ly/hsiho Read More

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