Waiting Well

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 (ESV).

Everyone says patience is a virtue, so why do so many of us struggle with this? Life can sometimes feel like one big waiting game. We are all guilty of looking ahead to what we hope the Lord has for our future, but one discipline we must master is how to wait on the Lord well.

Waiting drives anticipation, hope, and excitement. But if we aren’t careful it can also lend itself to distraction and disappointment. It threatens to steal our joy, and shift our focus away from what we are truly called to do as followers of Jesus: serve and glorify the Lord in the waiting.

You applied for a job, and you’re waiting on a second interview. You’ve put an offer in on a house, and you’re waiting for them to accept. You’ve applied to a university, and you’re waiting on the acceptance letter. You’ve suffered a major injury, and you’re waiting for things to heal.

The Lord has recently been challenging me to check my heart and soul, not my watch, during the waiting. I want to extend the challenge to you, too.

Scripture abounds when it comes to waiting on the Lord. Psalm 33:20-22 comes to mind here: “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.”

I love this verse because it reminds me that not only can our soul wait for the Lord, but we can experience true joy in our hearts as we rejoice in Him. His love fills us, our heart overflows as we wait and trust Him for whatever fulfills His plan for our lives.

Lord, if this job isn’t where you want me, may the interview fall through. Lord, if this isn’t the house for me, lead me in another direction. Lord, if you want me at this school, give me courage to go even if I’m scared. Lord, I believe healing will come, help me be disciplined in the healing process.

We have a choice to wait well. Continue to give your very best at your current job. Make the most of the home He has placed you in for this season. Take joy in the place He has you in school now while you wait to see where His next step will lead. Find spiritual disciplines to help you walk through the recovery and healing process after an injury.

Waiting can be difficult, and for most of us, patience is not our best virtue. But we can cling to Scripture like Psalm 33, and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus during the process. Spend time in the Word. Lean into Jesus-loving friends, and engage in church community while we wait. I am confident He will give us the ability to wait well, and He will grow our hearts in the process.

#christ #thenarrowpath #faith #obedience #hope #jesus