One tiny problem…I am not a patient person either. I don’t like waiting. The Lord, however, has taught me that there isn’t much in life worth having which comes to us quickly. Most of what is Godly takes time. Waiting is then, an inevitable part of life. The farmer carefully waits for the harvest. The mother-to-be lovingly waits for the baby to be ready to be born. The Father watchfully waits for his son to become a man. The old man who has lived a Godly life calmly waits for his Lord to call him home.
King David expressed the two concepts beautifully in Psalm 40:1, I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. There you have them, the ingredients to finding joy in a world that at times seems and feels so grim, gloomy, sad and hopeless. For a person like me, however, “waiting patiently” suggests an impossible dream. I can’t “wait patiently.” I don’t know how! I’m incapable of exercising such discipline. (I told you, happy endings are for the birds!)
I am incapable if I lean on my own power to accomplish it. “Waiting patiently for the LORD” would be out of the realm of what is possible for me if I count only on my own strength and forget about the Holy Spirit who is precisely the One supposed to produce the fruit of patience in me.
The proof is in the fact that even though I am incapable of “waiting patiently,” I’ve done it. I’ve done it many times! Throughout my life I’ve “waited patiently” for the Lord to speak to me in regards to issues of great importance to me personally. Granted, His version of “waiting patiently” for me might look a bit different from His version of the same action for normal people : ). But I have waited in Him and for Him. I “waited patiently” for Him to deliver me from my bondage to materialism. I “waited patiently” for Him to put me in the right place to meet the love of my life (side-note here, I never really dated until I was in my early 20s so the waiting period here was rather long : ) I “waited patiently” for Him to guide me to a career that I love. I “waited patiently” for Him to make me a biological mother. I “waited patiently” for Him to give me an adopted son. And I continue to “wait patiently” for Him to act on several concerns of my heart today, still.
The only reason people like me could do all these waiting is because we “can do EVERYTHING in Christ who gives us strength.” (Philippians 4:13) Not just some things, we can do everything in Him, including “waiting patiently.”
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. (Psalm 130:5)
We have work to do while we wait, though. While we wait, we put our hope in His Word, we trust that all His promises are true, and we serve Him and His beloved.
We put our hope in Him and His Word, for He promised that
…those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
We put our hope in Him and His Word and we serve Him, for He said,
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28: 19-20)
We put our hope in Him and His Word and we serve His beloved, for He said,
"Therefore as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers" (Galatians 6:10).
We put our hope in Him and His Word, wait patiently in Him and for Him, and keep our eyes upon Jesus and our hands working for His Kingdom for He said,
“…seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)
The task is not easy. Personally, I know I will fall back on my old ways from time to time for I am a sinner; but I also know that I am forgiven, and the Holy Spirit dwells in me. I can call upon Him for strength anytime I feel faint, and His power will be made perfect in my weakness.
He said that He will listen to me, and that I will find Him when I seek Him. Like Psalm 27:13-14 says: “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” While we wait for Him, He is not inactive. He is always working things out together for the good of those who love Him. So will I also not be idle while I wait. I will serve Him and His beloved while I wait. I will trust Him while I wait. I will put my hope in Him. And I will rely on the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in me to help me achieve unimaginable joy. He will help me wait patiently for my happy ending.
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