Feel like the sand is stuck? Going nowhere? God has another perspective for you.

“I waited and waited and waited some more…” Psalm 40:1 TPT

 I bet that verse never got put into an encouraging book of Bible promises to reflect upon. But it’s in God’s Word and reflection might just be an important thing to do!

We live in a dizzying, hurried world where waiting is seldom tolerated except with obvious annoyance , foot tapping and horn honking. And our relationship with God suffers from this problem. We are a ‘microwave people’ associated with, at times, a ‘crock pot God.’ We will put up with inferior food for less healthy food if we can get it through the drive through without slowing down.

But would God have anything good in mind for making us wait? Good question. Let’s try to answer it. This teaching relates only to people who believe that “All things work together for good to those who love God.” (Roman 8:28 KJV) If this promise means little to us, we hurry on, missing the pauses God gives us for ‘divine wait’ opportunities to bless and anoint us for Kingdom purposes.

God never does anything unimportant in our lives. He neither creates ‘junk’ nor does He allow ‘waits’ with no purpose. Let’s look at some things God wants to give us in our waiting.

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 27:14 ESV There is something about waiting patiently that allows God to build courage into your life.

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;” Isaiah 40:31 ESV  This word of God promises renewed or refreshed strength. Hurried people just want to get home and unwind, but God has something entirely different for people who wait, knowing that while they wait, something God-like is being produced in their character and inner strength.

“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.” Isaiah 30:18 ESV  Psalm 23:6 says that goodness and mercy are following us all the days of our lives. They are steady and persistent at their assignment. Don’t outrun them!

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14 NIV  Non-wait-ers constantly find themselves fighting battles without the Lord of Heaven’s Armies fighting those battles. Don’t fight by yourself!

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his Word I hope;” Psalm 130:5 ESV  While slowing down and forcing yourself to wait, don’t waste your energy tapping your foot… get into the promises of God’s Word.

Don’t waste your ‘waiting.’