Strength in Waiting

I hate waiting. I am more of an "if you want it go and get it", "there's a problem to be solved, let's solve it" kind of gal. 

Uncertainty is uncomfortable. 

I like it when I can make things happen; when I have a sense of control in a situation. Whenever I have had questions, I have searched for answers. Whenever I have wanted something, I have worked hard to get it, even if it meant making myself sick with stress and exhaustion.

In defense of my, at times, loon-ish behavior, I was not raised in a world that truly values patience. Yes, we all say things like, "be patient" and "don't force it", but in our next breath we spout motivational gems like, "if you want something done right you gotta do it yourself" and "you gotta grab the bull by the horns!" 

I do not want to say that there are not times that we do need to step out on our own and take action. What I do want to say is that it is against our betterment to believe that it is solely by our own power that things will ever come to pass.

I praise the LORD that He is breaking me of that false notion.

Psalm 27 has been a signature Scripture in my Christian journey. It has guided me through various struggles, aided me in my hopeful praises, and taught me (time and time again!) a valuable lesson: the importance of waiting on the LORD.

The words "Wait for the LORD" are written numerous times in the Bible. If you were to look in one of my Bibles you would see, quite possibly, every passage in which they are used underlined. One thing I noticed in all of my reading and underlining is that God's people are not simply told to wait on Him and left to it; it is acknowledged that this is not an easy act.

In many passages with these words, before or after them are words such as, "Be strong, and let your heart take courage" (Psalm 27:14 & 31:24). This says to me that in order to wait on God we must also rely on a strength that comes from Him.

It is strong and courageous to wait on the LORD.

It takes more heart to trust in God's promises than it does to push forward and rely on your own strength. I realized that my strong desire to take life into my own hands was an outward expression of insufficient trust in God and His promises.  

Doing things by my own strength always left me not only physically exhausted, but mentally and emotionally exhausted as well. "But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength," says Isaiah; "they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint" (40:31).

"Wait on the LORD" does not mean wait for the LORD to come and take care of everything or do everything for you; it means do not be rash and impatiently rush into things. We must wait on the LORD in order to hear what He has planned and how He wants us to act, according to His will, not our own. 

The more you wait, the more you see that His way is always better.

So, I'm with Micah: "as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation" (7:7). For, "the LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him" (Lamentations 3:25).

How about you? Do you believe you know what is best for your life or do you trust that God has something even better in store for you? Are you willing to wait on Him?