Waiting On The Lord

Hurrying up to wait seems to be the mantra of modern day society. How many of us have made appointments with our doctors, lawyers, hair care professionals, tax consultants and others, only to arrive on time and find ourselves waiting. Waiting seems to be a way of life and yet it is one of the most uncomfortable activities we engage on a regular basis. It seems that the longer we wait, the more our minds wander, the more our thoughts are provoked and the greater our anxiety becomes. Waiting is never easy; in fact, many of our regrettable decisions were made during times of waiting. So, what does it mean to wait, who and what are we waiting for, why should we wait, and if we do, for how long?

While waiting has caused some regrettable decisions and often makes us feel uncomfortable, as Christians, there are some positive benefits associated with waiting, especially when waiting on the Lord. We are told to wait on the Lord and be of good courage and the Lord will strengthen our heart. Scripture also affirms that those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. We are also admonished to be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently on the Lord to act.

While these passages of scripture sound good, they often raise our level of anxiety because waiting from a secular perspective is counter-cultural to the sacred reality of the Lord. To wait on the Lord is to wait knowing that a preferred end will happen. To wait on the Lord is based on knowledge and trust that the Lord’s word never returns void but will accomplish that to which it was intended.

Waiting is an action and because it is an action, it involves doing something; both positive and negative. It involves adding and taking away, making adjustments, reassessing what was and envisioning what can be. Waiting gives courage, patience, endurance and strength. According to one author, waiting involves things we do – doing things right; the things we are not to do- refraining from the wrong things; and things that happen to us, in us, and for us as we wait.

Ultimately, waiting is a choice, just like choosing God. And if we choose God then waiting is only a matter of time because with God, things may not come when we want them, but they will always be right on time; God’s time.