While You Wait

I heard Holy Spirit tell me “you have waited patiently for me.”

I didn’t realize it, but, I have. For this past year I have been waiting for some kind of direction, for something to finally go according to plan, or to hear “this is it” from God. I waited, and waited, but as I waited I was still doing, and something was still happening inside of me; and it’s not until now that I can see it clearly.

After hearing that from Holy Spirit all day, I searched through scripture that night on what it means to wait patiently for the Lord. In my dream notebook I had already written Psalm 40:1-3:

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me...out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.”

This whole section is about a process; it’s the process of waiting for God, but Scripture shows us there are still a lot of things happening in between the lines.

During the waiting, you are: believing, getting stronger, gaining courage, walking in His ways. The Lord is also renewing your strength, and you are still able to move, do things, and not get tired. In the waiting preparation is happening and there is something to gain and earn.

We are always encouraged to wait on the Lord. I remember a time when I was bothered by that, I used to be so impatient throughout the process, I just wanted the victory! Only now I know, after many seasons of waiting, there is a lot you gain from that process. And it’s fun to see how God works.

“I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!
Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 27:13-14

“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.” Isaiah 40:31

Hold on, I want to dig into the most important part of this verse: “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.” A commentary for this verse said “the criterion for receiving God’s unlimited strength is to wait on the Lord.” While in the waiting, your strength—which cannot compare to His—is becoming new, being made strong again; getting repaired, restored, refreshed, rebuilt, corrected, rectified.

During the long periods of waiting I certainly felt like I lost my strength. I felt so weak—that’s what I kept telling people, I feel so weak. Meanwhile, I had no idea that God was actually working. He was renewing my little ol’ strength. He was trading mine with something new; His.

I know that if you’re waiting for something it comes with having some kind of load of disappointment. But don’t worry, you’re not alone in those feelings. Come back next week to read on what scripture says on how to deal with disappointment.

“Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.” 
— Psalm 37:34