16 November 2023 - How to wait patiently?

Waiting doesn’t mean sitting around doing nothing just waiting for God to do something. God is always at work. With few exceptions, one of the most difficult things that we have to do in this life is to wait. We all understand what it means to wait because we have all done it.

James 1:4(NIV) Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

In your season of waiting, however long that is, there are important things we can do so patience can have its perfect work:

• Serve the Lord. The word wait in this context means to serve. While waiting patiently, continue to serve the Lord.Psalm 100:2 (AMP) Serve the LORD with gladness and delight; Come before His presence with joyful singing.

• Be thankful. If you find yourself waiting longer than you planned, or you are becoming more impatient, take a moment to thank the Lord!1 Thessalonians 5:18 (AMP) In every situation be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

• Trust God - Romans 8:28 (AMP) And we know that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.

There is a purpose in the process. We must go through the process to be strong enough and ready for what God has for us. While waiting patiently, remember there is a purpose in the process.

Good things come to those who wait!

Psalm 37:7(NLV) Rest in the Lord and be willing to wait for Him.

Psalm 37:34a(NLV) Wait for the Lord. Keep His way. And He will give you a high place to receive the land.

Psalm 37:9(NKJV) For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth.

Far too often, we get impatient with God’s timeline. We want to be in control of our lives. We want everything to happen in our time, not God’s time. Waiting for God can be hard. It means giving up our false sense of control in order to let God be in the driver’s seat. It requires being willing to let go of what we may want in favour of what God wants for us.

Isaiah 60:22(NIV) The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the LORD; in its time I will do this swiftly.

When God decides to move, He moves swiftly - we don’t always know when the movement will happen. What we do know, however, is that God moves when the time is right. We just need faith that God knows what is best for us.