Wait, I say, Wait

by Evangelynn

I have discovered that waiting on the Lord is one of the most challenging aspects in a Christian’s walk with God. Our generation and society is too accustomed to receiving things instantly. We have created things like fast food, microwaves, instant coffee, and email so that we don’t have to wait. We can’t even stand it when our internet browser takes a few extra seconds to load. Our world has trained us to become so impatient and that is why we find it so hard to wait for things. Instant is all we know and instant is all we wait for. To be patient and to wait seems almost impossible for us, and it poses a challenge in our life, especially for us Christians because God is constantly asking us to be patient and to wait on Him. God’s timing is not our timing and our impatience causes us to become frustrated with God and His timing. And this often leads to disobedience as we try to go ahead of God, making wrong and hasty decisions just to satisfy our flesh. This week in particular, I was faced with the challenge of waiting while asking the Lord to speak to me about certain situations that I have been bringing before Him. I have been feeling frustrated with God and with myself because I know that God tells me to wait for Him to speak, and so I do, yet I feel like I have been waiting for so long and still He doesn’t speak. But this morning, God led me to read Psalm 27:14 which says, “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord.” In this verse, the psalmist said to WAIT on the Lord. In fact, it is so imperative that he said it twice in one verse. Wait, I say, WAIT. And as you wait, God will strengthen you and give you courage.

The next verse that God led me to this morning was Psalm 62:5 which says, “My soul, wait ONLY upon God; for my EXPECTATION is from Him.” In this verse, David told his soul to wait because all his hopes and expectations can only and will only come from God. What’s the point in impatiently trying to run ahead of God when all hope comes from Him alone? If we try to run ahead of God, we will be left with nothing but emptiness and hopelessness.

As my week has progressed, I feel like God has been answering those heavy questions that I have been bringing to Him. They may not all be answered as of yet and though I know that a lot of my questions will not be answered any time soon, I have hope that God will give me the strength and patience to wait for His voice and His guidance.

So whether you are coming to God about school decisions, career decisions, relationship decisions, family decisions, or personal heart decisions, please remember to WAIT. Let me tell you first hand, that it is worth it to wait. Bring every decision you need to make before God, no matter how small and insignificant you may feel the issue is, and WAIT for God to answer. No matter how hard it may get and no matter how impatient you may feel, wait for God’s voice before you act. It is so rewarding to live a life guided by Christ. A life guided by your own feelings and actions may satisfy you for a moment, but ultimately it will lead you to emptiness. So why not leave your future into the hands of the One who knows the beginning and the end? Why not leave your decisions to the One who created all and knows all?

The lyrics to one of my favorite songs say:
“Take a break from all the plans you have made and sit at home alone and wait for God to whisper. Beg Him please to open up His mouth and speak and pray for real upon your knees until they blister.” – Clear the Stage by Jimmy Needham

I remember in the past, when faced with a particularly difficult decision, asking God to speak to me. I remember crying and begging for Him to stop the silence and just open His mouth and speak. It was incredibly difficult to wait for God to speak, but it was at the point where I almost gave up asking, that God finally spoke. And let me tell you, all the tears and persistence was worth it just to hear one word from God. These lyrics have encouraged me to persist. Don’t just simply ask God once, but continually beg and persist in prayer until He speaks. Only by persistently pursuing after God’s voice will you hear and find the answers that you are searching for. No matter how silent you may feel God is being towards you, PERSIST.
Matthew 7:7 says “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” This verse is telling us that if we persist, we will find. Persist and wait. Be of good courage and wait. Wait, I say, wait.