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Lamentations 3:25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks him.
How do you react when you have to wait? How about when traffic is heavy, and you have wait at another looooonnnnggg light? What about waiting in a line to get gas? How do you feel when you have to wait for what seems to be over the normal time for your food at a restaurant. “Your call will be answered in the order it was received…wait time is estimated at 45 minutes.” How does that reality hit you?
Well, if you are like most people, we hate to wait. We live in an instant world where if a video takes more than a few seconds to load, we are ready to move on. We don’t like waiting for our coffee, food, or a response to an email we just sent. We like instant, on-demand, and at our fingertips. But yet, is not patience a virtue and good comes to those who wait? There is a good in wait. Good food does take time and the taste is way better. Good friendship and relationships take time and multiple experiences to go deeper and secure stronger bonds. Good investments usually take time to accrue value. Good talent is tested and perfected over time. Good character is forged on the anvils of time. Yes, there is a good in wait.
I read an article about the benefits of waiting. These benefits range from clarity, to developing perseverance and patience, to tolerance and empathy. Waiting can be a good thing. To some, it’s even an opportunity to be more productive in using the wait time to catch up on emails and texts. I know for me, I was actually a bit disappointed I did not have to wait at the dentist’s office because I was looking forward to that time to respond to a few emails.
Now there is also a good in waiting on God. To wait on God is a trust in His love, grace, kindness, sovereignty, help and guidance. In that we have hope. To wait is not passive but an active dependence on the Lord, trusting in Him. Waiting is being taken with belief in all of who God is, what He has done, and how active He is in our lives and letting that infuse courage in us! Because God can! If God can rescue Daniel from the lion Daniel 6:1-28, He can rescue us. If God can give David ability to slay a giant 1 Samuel 17:1-58, He can equip us to slay our giants. If God can cause a virgin to be pregnant who has not been with a man, nothing is impossible for Him Luke 1:26-38. Because God can, we can courageously face life. That courage is found in waiting/trusting in our awesome God!
Isaiah 40:31 But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary;they shall walk and not faint.
Psalms 27:14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage;wait for the LORD!
Psalms 25:3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
Psalms 33:20-22 Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in Him because we trust in His holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
There is good in the wait and in the wait for the LORD.
Church is a wonderful place to learn of waiting on the Lord. If you do not already have a church you attend, we would like to invite you to view or visit Neighborhood Church. We are a fun, welcoming church and would love for you to connect with us! Our website has all the information you need for times and locations of all our Sunday gatherings. You can also find us online at neighborhoodchurch.com. As well, if you would like to view any of our past worship gatherings or videos, visit our YouTube channel, or just search Neighborhood Church Cypress or Neighborhood Church Los Alamitos on their YouTube site.
Experiencing the good in waiting along with you,
Mike McKay, Lead Pastor, Neighborhood Church
