Those who wait on the Lord, shall have their strength renewed. They shall soar on wings like an eagle. They shall walk and not be weary. they shall run and not faint. paraphrased from Isaiah 40:31
You’ve done all you can do, and then nothing. Nothing seems to be happening. Your prayers seem to be bouncing off the ceiling. God doesn’t give you any further instruction, except….wait.
Why is it the Lord tells His people to wait so often? We’ve waited on cars, a house, financial provision, debt elimination, jobs, contracts, business, babies, healing… a myriad of things. And we’re still waiting on some of these things now. There have been times, including now, that I’ve waited until I’m weary of waiting. God continues to press me to wait even longer. When I think I’ve had it, and I cry out to God that I can’t wait any longer, he simply replies, “Wait a little longer.”Then I find new strength that I never knew that I had. It’s been there all along. He knew that, but I’d never have known if He hadn’t pressed me a little farther–a little bit longer.
In fact I often feel like the athlete training for competition. I’m saying,” Coach, that’s good enough.” The coach says,”No. You can go a little further.”
“How much further”, I ask.
“Until I tell you to stop.” He replies.
“No, I don’t like that answer. I need to know there’s an end in sight.”
“There is.”
“Is death my end?”
“Oh, no I would never push you that far. I love you. You’ll stop when the time is right. Just trust me.”
“I guess I have no choice. I can’t do this on my own. If I give up now, I’ve failed and I have no where else to go. Ok, I’ll persevere.”
“Yes, persevere. At the end you’ll discover things about yourself that you never knew you had. But I’ll tell you a secret. You’ve had them all along because I gave them to you in the beginning.”
The waiting room is a wonderful opportunity to, “Be still, and know that He is God.” Stop trying to “make it happen” or “figure it out”. Let God do what He does best–be God. We’re lousy at trying to be God.
Exodus 14:13 …”Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today… [14] The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
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