Waiting on the Lord

 

Oh how I hate to wait.  Waiting in line, waiting to hear news, waiting to move into a new house, waiting for my flight, waiting for vacation, waiting for traffic, waiting, waiting!  I hate it!  And then I read this...

The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. Lamentations 3:25 ESV

We are a society of instant gratification.  If the microwave takes 5 minutes to cook our dinner, we think that is too long. When we apply for a job, we want to know NOW!  When did we get in such a hurry to have and to do everything?

Many years past, it took longer to get anywhere, longer to cook, they waited on their crops for seasons, months, and years.  Now, with computers, microwaves, cell phones and planes, we have lost the ability to wait patiently.  We are sometimes forced to wait but we don't do it well.  I know I don't wait well.  

  I often get frustrated waiting for something to happen, especially if it is something I have prayed about.  It seems like waiting becomes a negative thing but God says.....

 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 ESV  

Waiting on the Lord is a positive thing.  How we wait is where things go wrong.  

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV

So how do we learn how to wait and make it a positive experience?  One of the fruits that the Holy Spirit gives us is patience. The Holy Spirit will give these fruits freely but we need to ask for them and sometimes more than once.  When we are in line for something, in a hurry, frustrated over the time that everything is taking,  or have asked God to undertake on our behalf, and we are waiting impatiently, ask God for His Holy Spirit to give you the patience that you need.  You can ask for patience in that particular moment and He will give it to you.   

Sometimes people say "don't pray for patience or God will put you through a trial".  I don't believe this.  God does use situations to teach us but He is not going to cause some horrible thing and make you wait, so that you can learn patience.  It is a fruit of the Spirit and is given freely to those who ask.   
One last thing.  God wants everyone to know Him and to love Him and to have a personal relationship with Him.  But God is not in a hurry to have everything over with.  He wants everyone to come to Him and He is patient and continues to call out to us.  Don't make Him wait on you.  Turn your life over to God and experience the joy that comes with having such a loving Father.  

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.  2 Peter 3:9 ESV

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