Waiting

Waiting. I'm in a period of waiting. Just waiting on the Lord. For direction. For guidance. For answered prayers. I woke up this morning tearful. Sometimes waiting on Him is painful.

On Sunday I felt the Lord leading me to make a list of times that I have cried out to Him, and He's been faithful. I started the list and wrote down about ten significant things that have occurred recently. There is so much more to add, years more, months more, and I will continue to add to this list over time. But funny how He knows what we need? On a day like today, when life just seems cruel and unfair, I am able to pull out my list and be comforted by His goodness and His faithfulness.

I did a word study on the Hebrew word "qawa," often translated "wait," for a class last summer. It was interesting to me that some translations, namely the NET Bible, translate this word "rely." Wait implies a "be-ready-but-not-yet" mentality and indicates difficulty along the way. Rely though adds another element. When we rely on the Lord, we are humbling ourselves before Him, admitting that ultimately we can do nothing alone but everything through Him. We are dependent on God and, therefore, place our faith in Him to bring us out of such trials. It seems to me that prayer is strongly tied to this concept of waiting and relying upon. Waiting, especially accompanied by trials, brings me to tears, and tears bring me to my knees. 

I was prompted to write the paper on waiting because of some of the difficulties experienced over the past year. (I've blogged about these.) And in the midst of these trials, when I cried out in anguish to the Lord, I realized that waiting encompasses trust

"Wait for the Lord and keep His way, 
And He will exalt you to inherit the land." -Ps. 37:34

In Psalm 37:34, it's clear that David understood that waiting on the Lord was not just sitting there an twiddling his thumbs. He told people to wait on the Lord, understanding that they were suffering, mourning, and even questioning. While the ungodly were prospering, he told them to continue waiting on the Lord. His statement is clothed in trust. He was not oblivious to the cruel circumstances they seemed to be in, but this did not blind him from God's goodness. Only God can deliver. And He will.

In my life I know I need to be strong and courageous, persevering without being deterred by difficulties. I am thankful for the word study I did last summer and for the list I created last weekend. I know God will pull me through, though sometimes my heart doubts what He must be doing. So while I wait, these are helpful reminders.

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