"Waiting upon God" is not a new phrase in the Christian circles. While the phrase is common, sometimes its true meaning eludes many. It is for this reason that I wish to start this discussion by first explaining the meaning of "waiting upon God". Some versions use the phrase "hoping in God" in place of "waiting for God", thus indicating that the two phrases can be used interchangeably, as is the case in Isaiah 40:31.According to the New International Version (NIV) commentary:
- Waiting upon God means to expect that God's promise of strength will help us to rise above life's distractions and difficulties.
- It means trusting in God.
- It means being patient and expecting God to fulfill the promises found in His Word.
Almost all the seasons of our lives require us to wait upon God. This is so by God's design. Waiting on God keeps our focus on God and demands our continuous dependence on Him. It serves as a constant reminder that we can do nothing apart from God, and that all that we have is received from Him.
For example, a young man will wait upon God to join university, and as soon as he joins the university of his dreams, he begins to trust God to excel in his studies. As he nears completing his university studies, he begins to wait on God for a job and as soon as he lands a job, he waits on God for career progression. In a few years, the young man may start to wait upon God for a life companion and as soon as he walks down the aisle on his wedding day, he begins to wait upon God for years of happiness and bliss. The season for waiting upon God for children sets in and as soon as the good news is broken by his wife that they are expecting a child, they begin to wait upon God for a smooth pregnancy and a healthy baby. The young couple are overly joyed as they receive their bundle of joy at the hospital and as soon as they do so, they begin a journey of trusting in God for their child's welfare and success at different stages of his/her development. Several decades later, the couple is now grey haired and their youthful strength spent, yet they continue to wait upon God for their children's marriages, grandchildren, good health in their old age etc. It is apparent that waiting upon God is not an incident but instead, it is part and parcel of each and every Christian's journey of faith!
As believers, the understanding that waiting for the Lord is necessary in all seasons of our lives should ignite within us a desire, that God may teach us how to best wait for Him. In addition, God commands us to wait for Him. For example, Psalms 27:14 commands, "Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!". It is therefore only right, to wait for Him in a manner that pleases Him. Failure to do so is likely to attract God's wrath and judgement, as was the case when the children of Israel in the wilderness murmured against Moses' leadership; when they grumbled about the monotony of the food they ate; and became impatient and cursed when they could find no water to quench their thirst.
What then is God's expectation of us as we wait for Him?
a. To be rested in God
God desires that we be rested in Him in the process of waiting for Him. We can learn several lessons from David. In Psalms 62:5, he speaks to his soul to find rest in God alone; for only in Him was his hope. Resting in God requires us to trust God. It also requires us to be calmed and quieted within ourselves, like a weaned child with its mother (Psalms 131:2-3). We need to stop striving in our own wisdom, might and power and rest in the knowledge of who God is: He is Faithful. Our tomorrow is in God's able hands, and we can rest in knowing that His plans for us are good and as numerous as the sand of the sea! Paul was fully persuaded that his life was secure in God and we see his confession in 2nd Timothy 1:12: "...Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." I urge you to fully abandon yourself to God in surrender, and to entrust your life to the One who knows your end from the beginning.
b. To wait in expectation
As believers, we sometimes get weary of waiting for the Lord regarding specific areas of our lives and we can easily give up the situation to fate. We become impassive about the matter and perhaps due to fear of disappointment, we choose not to expect much change or victory over the situation at hand. Abraham had reason to lose hope, considering that he was much advanced in age and yet two decades after the Lord promised him a son, he was yet to see the promise being fulfilled. However, scripture indicates that Abraham hoped against hope! God is challenging us to hope in Him, for He is Faithful and will surely fulfil His promises upon our lives.
Psalms 130:5-6 states, "I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning". May God help us to see through our eyes of faith and even in the most blink situation, that our faith will be lifted up to God in expectation, as the watchmen wait for the morning! Delay in the fulfillment of a promise does not mean denial. In the fullness of time and at the appointed hour, God will fulfill His Word upon our lives. Habakkuk understood this very well as is clearly reveled in his statement, "For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay," (Habakkuk 2:3).
c. To wait joyfully
The joy of the Lord is our strength. In the absence of joy, we grow weary; we faint; we become discouraged; and lose our resilience. Psalms 33:20-22 states, "We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you." May God teach our hearts to rejoice in Him through all seasons of our lives. This is possible if we chose to focus on God's Word and to stand on His promises even when life's occurrences do not make sense. Secondly, God's joy abounds in His presence, and His presence abounds in His praises. We can experience God's exceeding joy as we wait for the Lord, if we chose to praise Him unreservedly. Thirdly, an attitude of thanksgiving manifested in our speech and actions set an environment for God's indescribable joy to abound. As you wait for God, remember to count your blessings, and you will be surprised that you have countless reasons to thank God for!
d. To wait in contentment
It is very easy to live a life of continuously chasing after what we do not have, and hardly have time to celebrate and enjoy that which we have. When God revealed this to me a few years ago, I begun to pray that God would transform my heart and renew the spirit of my mind to learn how to wait for Him in contentment. Thinking about it honestly, there will always be those who are ahead of us in life and those who are behind us, with regard to life's accomplishments. May God help us to stop competing and striving with each other, and simply rest with thanksgiving in our hearts. Paul profoundly teaches us the meaning of contentment: I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength (Philippians 4:12-13).
May the Lord teach us to be calmed and quieted within us. Like weaned children at the bosom of their mother, may God help us to be content (Psalms 131:2-3) and enjoy the gains thereof!
It is sad to note that some believers have left the ways of righteousness to pursue fulfillment of their desires. This is a great deception of the devil. The truth of the matter is that all we will ever need is found in God. Look at what Psalms 37:3-7 states: Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. God expects that we keep his way as we wait for Him.
Secondly, we need to be encouraged in the fact that God does not withhold anything good from them who love Him. If we love God, we will keep His commandments, and doing so will not be burdensome. We do not obey God because of what He gives us, but because we love Him. Living in righteousness ought to be our lifestyle in all seasons of our lives, and this is made possible when we continuously:
- Rest in God's grace that teaches us to say no to all ungodliness and every worldly passion
- Work out daily our salvation with fear and trembling
Conclusion:
God assures us of his strength as we wait for Him. Isaiah 40:31 states, 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. He also promises not to put to shame those who trust in Him (Romans 10:11). As you wait on God patiently, He hears your prayers and cries. He will lift you out of your slimy pit; out of your mud and mire. He will set your feet on a rock and give you a firm place to stand. He will put a new song in your mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see God's work in your life and fear Him; and they will put their trust in Him (Psalms 40:1-3). The Great Intercessor, Jesus Christ, stands before the Father interceding on our behalf day and night! You and I can trust Him for victory in every situation of our life.
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