In our instant society, we lose patience when we must wait on anything. We would rather microwave than bake, go to a walk-in clinic than a primary care physician’s office, take the highway than travel on back roads through the country, use the express or self-checkout lanes at the grocery than to wait in line at a register, etc.
One reason for this is that we have nothing to “do” if we are required to wait. We want instant gratification for our needs, and we hate to wait. Yet, God’s Word encourages us to wait (Psalm 27:14, 37:24). When we patiently wait on the Lord, He tilts His ear toward us and hears the cries of our heart (Psalm 40:1).
We rest in His loving arms and receive hope for the unseen answers to our prayers (Psalm 62:5). Our soul (our thoughts, emotions, and choices) waits for the Lord, and we place our hope in Him as He strengthens our soul (Psalm 31:24, 130:5, 138:3). God is our help and our protector (Psalm 33:20).
As we wait on the Lord, He renews our strength, and we rise above the cares of this world with wings of eagles. We run and are not exhausted, and we walk and do not collapse (Isaiah 40:31). Waiting on the Lord strengthens us with all might according to His glorious power.
Patience does her perfect work in us as we wait, and we reap joy and peace (James 1:4-8; Colossians 1:11). God takes our mind off the finite and keeps us centered on the infinite and eternal. Then, His blessings transform the deepest desires of our soul.
As unbelievers, we feel the frustration of our unfulfilled dreams, goals, and plans until we surrender to God as Believers and focus on His plans for us instead. We learn to exchange God’s desires for our unsatisfied desires that we used to entertain. This allows us to live a fruitful and fulfilled life that is full of God’s divine appointments and purposes.
Today’s society insists that we deserve more, and that we do not deserve the trials and suffering that we experience. Yet, all we really deserve is a future in the torments of hell (Luke 16:23-30). Thank God that Jesus came to earth and paid the sin-debt for everyone who accepts Him as their Savior and Lord (Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 1:15; John 3:16-18).
Prayer:
Father God, in Your desires for us we find our true contentment in life. Our deepest needs are only satisfied in our intimate union with You. Give us the courage to take a good look at our soul, and then give us the courage to confront our flaws and to allow Your Holy Spirit to replace them with His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). Teach us to patiently wait on You and Your timing, and to walk in Your ways.
Thank You for giving us Your presence in us. We bask in the waterfalls of Your love that You drench us with throughout each new day. You give us Your purpose for living and our hope in dying. We know who we are in You, and we want to live to fulfill Your desires for each moment of every day. You deserve all our praises, and we make continual melody in our heart to You.
Thought for the Day:
Jesus is our life, and His life in us is our joy and peace that come from His forgiveness of our past, His hope for our tomorrow, and His purpose for us as we live in each moment of time; He gives us the courage, wisdom and strength to face life’s challenges and to exchange His infinite plans for us in place of our own finite goals, desires, and dreams.
- John 1:4; Colossians 3:3-4
