If you’re in a current season of “wait” be encouraged that there are those gone ahead of us that also had a season of waiting and they found great things that came out of that very wait.
I was the baby of the family with 12 years difference between me and my siblings. So sometimes I got left waiting because they forgot me. Ha! I’m glad I can laugh about it because it happened enough times I seriously should have a complex but I felt so much love from my family that I knew they’d be back. And sure enough, it would hit them that I was still waiting at church, or at the Dairy Queen, or on the steps at piano lessons. They’d come rushing back for me and apologize. I’d laugh because I knew they’d come back shortly and they always did. Waiting as a kid wasn’t that big of a deal.
But as we get older waiting seems to get harder. There’s more of a danger to grow impatient and hardened in the process of waiting – whatever it is we’re waiting for. Years ago we went through a long season of waiting for a baby. It was so worth the wait and God’s plan trumped our plan a million times better. But that wait was hard. I’m thankful a wise woman told us to use our wait as a platform for God’s glory.
We’re in another season of wait currently. Waiting for God to show relief in a deep valley situation. I’m having to choose how I will use this wait. Will I turn inward and focus on my circumstances or will I use my wait to bring glory to God.
I wonder if you’re in a current season of wait as well. I love this verse in Psalm 130. It lets us know that we can have hope while we wait.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning. Psalm 130:5-6
Notice where our hope will come from while we wait. In his word.
It’s easy to jump ship in regards to staying in God’s word when we’re having to wait. Or maybe what we’ve waited for will never come to fruition this side of heaven. We hoped and prayed but that dream died. Instead of giving in to anger and resentment trust God even when you don’t understand his ways. Keep going to his word. You will find hope there. You will find rest and refreshment in those words. And God will use the comfort he gives you in this very wait you are in right now to encourage others one day.
And as a follower of
Love this! I really had not considered the question “will I use my wait to bring glory to God” before, but that is actually the church’s (that’s you and me) primary purpose. We are to bring glory to God.
I also love the fact we find our hope in His word. I’m all about being in the word, and here is just another reason!.
I love how John Piper says that God’s glory and renown is God’s glory gone public. Isn’t that awesome. I just love that definition.
Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:14
This verse has encouraged me in many wait times
Robyn – we read this very same verse out loud together as a group as we talked about waiting. Love this. We talked about how it takes courage to wait and to trust.
Thanks Melody for your willingness to share! I definitely wasted some of the 4 years it took us to get pregnant. I look back now and wish I had been learning better how to meal plan or make homemade bread, definitely deepen my time in God’s Word but instead many days I stayed focus on what God was having me wait for. Yes, take that time to trust that our Sovereign God has a plan and purpose that will bring Him glory.
It’s definitely not easy and I’m certainly not saying I did it perfectly but I’m learning to redeem the time even when standing still.
Yes all waits are but a second in God’s eyes, but I’m not God and I forget how my impatients smears God’s reputation. I think we should be better “wait=ters” the older we get bec we’ve had great practice and have seen the glory of God in the wait and at the end of the wait. My problem is (one of many): i immediately forget and I’m on to the next wait and worry… Redeeming the time for the days are evil but the Word is perfect. xx