Waiting on God – What’s In It For Me?

Waiting on God – Why go through the process?

Many Christians can attest to the fact that waiting on God is no easy task. Think about it – waiting for God to act when there are no signs of him doing anything in the near future is downright tough! I am sure every one of us is waiting on God for one thing or the other, so I thought I would pick out a few thoughts from the Bible on the subject.

a) God is good to those who wait on Him

Lamentations 3:25 “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.” (NKJV)

What does it mean to be good to someone? When you are good to someone, you try to meet their needs and treat them well, don’t you? Why, then, is the Lord good to those who wait on him?

The answer lies in the true reason behind our waiting on him. Do we wait on him in anticipation of what he can give to us, or because we want to spend time with him? In God’s eyes, waiting on him involves deepening your relationship with him as you eagerly await the unfolding of his plan for your life. As you do so, you begin to see more of him, learn more about him and understand how he works. Waiting on God, therefore, should actually bring you into a closer relationship with him, to a place where you begin to experience his love and his goodness!

b) God renews my strength as I wait on him

Waiting on God is a very tiring process, especially when it lasts a long time! Personally, praying for something for a long time wears me out completely. Every time I get to the point where I am tired of waiting, however, these words from Isaiah come to mind.

Isaiah 40:31 ” But 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.” (NKJV)

The Lord knows that waiting on him is not easy – that is why, as we wait on him, he renews our strength! Have you ever noticed that when you surrender your heart’s desire to him, you suddenly find that you have the strength to do all that he requires of you? The weight of worry leaves your heart, and you jump up and get on with day’s activities! Lord, as we wait on you, we ask that you would continually refresh us and renew our strength!

c) Waiting builds my spiritual muscles

Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” (NKJV)

Did you know that the best way to build your spiritual muscles is to go through a period of waiting and trusting? During a waiting period, you have no idea if God will come through, you have no idea when he will answer you, or if he will give you the answer you desire! Waiting is all about trust, and trusting in a God who you have never seen is a true act of faith! When he does come through, however, your faith in him ‘increases’, and the next time you need to wait on him, you are brave and strong enough to do so!

God uses waiting periods to teach us, and to transform us into the Christians he wants us to be. As you wait, he prepares you to handle what lies ahead, while he removes whatever is in you that is holding you back from growing as a Christian. Though I am not a fan of the seasons of waiting , I am grateful for them, because they have made me into the Christ follower that I am today. Let’s not grumble as we wait on God; rather, let us experience his goodness, allow him to renew our strength, and build our spiritual muscles!

Psalm 33:20-21 “We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.” (NIV)

Hi, everyone! As always, I would love to hear from you. Let me know what stood out for you in this article, and what comments you may have. If you loved the article, please share it with your friends. See you next week! Alison