“I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.” — Psalm 40:1,3 (NLT)
Waiting is super difficult, isn’t it? In The Information Age we live in, having patience is often no longer required. Whether it is online searches, internet shopping, or convenient access to a nearby superstore, we can usually get most things we really want, right away. Naturally, we apply this immediacy mindset to just about every aspect of our lives. This has become one of the greatest lies of our day.
Patience is a virtue. Isn’t that what we all learned in elementary school? Virtue is defined as, “a quality in a person that can be considered morally good, useful or desirable.” Sounds like something we would want for our lives, doesn’t it? But, if you’re anything like me, you might be able to have the appearance of having “patience” on the outside, but on the inside, there is absolutely no peace or patience. We can put on a good show; but, truthfully, we are on the verge of coming apart at the seams.
We all have different ways that we try to “pass the time” while we wait. I remember my wife and I trying to patiently wait for our first son (Abel) to be born. We took daily walks around our neighborhood as we tried to take our minds off of this giant leap we were about to take. However, on the inside, I was screaming, “LET’S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD!” Now, I daily find myself trying to teach my sons the importance of having patience in life. All the while, I am trying to teach myself that same truth.
Most likely, we are all trying to wait patiently for something in life. Some of the things may be pleasant and others not so much. Whatever it may be, we need to understand the emotions that are coming into our hearts while we wait. I know for me, waiting can produce a lot of fear and anxiety. The uncertainty and unknown outcome of my waiting can be insightful as to who and what I am trusting in during those moments.
Recently, I’ve been reminded that any time we struggle to find peace in patience we must bring our minds and hearts to the truth of what the Bible has to say about waiting.
In Luke 12:25 Jesus asks the million-dollar question, “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” If we are getting anxious, we are not remembering (or truly believing) Who is ultimately in control of our circumstances. In Psalm 27:14 David tells us to, “Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.” God doesn’t want our waiting to mean just sitting on our hands. We can still walk in faith and in God’s power for our lives as we wait on His timing. Finally, the Apostle Peter tells us how we can come to know true peace as we pass the time. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
What’s the old saying? “The joy is in the journey.” May we, by the grace of God, find the joy and peace that comes in patiently waiting on the Lord.
Here’s to waiting!
Posted in A Word from the Pastor