THE WAITING GAME

Let me paint the picture for you. You’re walking out of the doctor’s office after having just run a series of test. The doctor has given you a list of possible diagnosis and outcomes, but nothing definite. His last words are “we’ll just have to wait & see what the results are.”

 Maybe it’s the week before your much needed vacation from work, and you’re full of excitement as you sit daydreaming of the getaway, the fun, or just  the rest & relaxation that eagerly waits.

Waiting, in my opinion is one of the most uncomfortable scriptural commands given to the believer. Whether you’re waiting on something good, or bad to occur, waiting is just hard to do. Anxiety, stress, or even excitement seemingly brings you to a point of frustration and can even disrupt your day to day function.

 All of us at one time or another have taken the same problem to bed more times than we expected. All of us have asked God to move in our lives and his answer was obviously to wait. What reasons would God want us to wait when the clock seem to be ticking away?

 

God is Sovereign

 The word sovereign means God is independent with complete power and authority. Simply put, he can do what he wants, when he wants, how he wants because he is God. You see, when we do things, we have to wait to see the outcome, but God does things because he already knows the outcome. He knows his plans for our lives. Maybe it’s not your time. If you are a believer, you need to rely on the sovereignty of God who knows what’s best for us.

 

 God is Strategic

 Waiting on God means you’re in transition. Transition can bring about frustration. When in seasons of frustration, human nature wants to cry out “Lord please deliver me” but God has a strategy at work in our life. Before he delivers you from the storm, he wants to develop you in the storm. Your storm is the womb of your faith. James says the trying of your faith produces patience. Believers need to realize they are coming out of the storm stronger, and wiser than when they went in.

 

 God is Glorified

 When my daughter was younger, she would come to my desk and shuffle things around while I tried to prepare sermons. As soon as I set things back in order, she’d mess it up again. I finally allowed her to entertain herself until she’d get tired. Once she was sleeping, I could set things back in order and complete my work. Many of us try everything in our own power to deliver ourselves. The problem with that is when God has things arranged, we come in and mess it up. If we get the hook up, call some friend or family member to help us, then we’ll be tempted to give them credit for pulling us out. God will allow us to remain in a situation until we’ve exhausted ourselves & all of our lifelines and come to rest on him. Believers need to know God will allow us to suffer in-spite of our best efforts or the help of others, so that we and others will know that he ALONE gets the glory.

 

My dad says “Every storm has an expiration date that only God knows. We just have to wait.” Waiting is not easy but is essential to the development of every Christian. What have you prayed for that has not happened yet? What issue has been the subject of your daily prayer? Have you turned it completely over to the Lord?

Isaiah 40:31 (King James Version) ³¹But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint