When God Says to Wait https://beckielindsey16.com/2017/01/10/when-god-says-to-wait/

WAIT…

Such a dreaded word. No one likes to wait. But we wait in traffic, in grocery stores, for the microwave (that’s so funny to me!), for the doctor, for a spouse, for a baby, for vacation, for retirement, or for Jesus to return.
Waiting has a negative connotation, especially in our fast-paced, instant gratification culture. It means zero productivity. Wasting time. Being idle.
My mom used to say to me, “Good things come to those who wait.”
Despite the words of motherly wisdom, the concept of waiting never bode well with me. And yet…

Wait is the word the Lord gave to me for 2017.

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
    for my hope is in him.” Psalm 62:5 

My response: You must be kidding me, Lord. You know I hate to wait. I’m not good at it.

Let me back up a moment here and tell you how I knew the Lord had specifically given me this scripture and the word wait.
Back in December during my prayer time, an old song came to mind. I often sing to the Lord, but I cannot remember the last time I sang this song before then.

Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.

For several days I literally woke up with this song in my head. The more I sang it, the more touched I became by the lyrics. Until one morning I found myself in tears barely able to finish the song. It was the morning after I had visited the local Rescue Mission. On my way home from the mission I had asked the Lord to give me a heart like His for those who are in need and homeless.

The reality is, I know I don’t even come close to having a heart like Jesus. Especially for those who are dirty, on drugs, or mentally ill, like my perception of many homeless people. The Lord impressed upon me that this is where the song comes into play (no pun intended).

What I needed was a softened heart. A heart that melted for others. A heart that was pliable and moldable. Only then could I be filled with the love of Christ in order for Him to use me, like the lyrics of the song stated.

“Yes, Lord! That’s what I want. Have your way. You’re the potter. I’m the clay. Mold me, Lord,” I exclaimed, then got up to end my prayer time.

But I didn’t have peace, so I sat back down.

WAIT

I sat still,  waiting for the Lord. But that was it—wait.
Over the next several days and throughout the holidays, the word wait was everywhere. It was in the message from my Pastor, it was in songs, it came up in scriptures, in conversation. I could not avoid the word. I’ve learned that when God wants to get a point across to me, He will many times bring confirmation that often (but not always) includes circumstances, people, music, dreams, and teaching. But God will always include the truth of His word. Finally, while doing a Bible study, I came upon Psalm 62:5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.” NLT
I wrote the scripture in my journal and meditated upon each word, writing what the Lord was teaching me.
Let all that I am:
To allow every part of my being
Wait:
To remain stationary in readiness or expectation
Quietly:
Tranquil
When I looked up the verse in the NIV translation, this is what I found:
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; for my hope comes from him.”

WAITING can be RESTING

And who couldn’t use some REST? Hmm, maybe this isn’t so bad after all.
I also found in scripture where the following words: wait, rest and hope were all interchangeable. Take a look at one example from  Isaiah 40:31 in three different translations.
New Living Translation (NLT)
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles.They will run and not grow weary.They will walk and not faint.”
The NIV
“But those who hope in the Lord…”
Lastly, KJV
“But they that wait upon the Lord…”

All the same scripture, but with deeper meanings for the word wait.

Waiting means finding hope in God—the only true source of hope.

Waiting means resting in who God is and what He will do.

Waiting means trusting that God is in charge and His timing is best.

Hope, Rest, and Trust are active words. They are not wasting time with zero productivity— the way I’ve looked at waiting in the past. Waiting produces patience. And patience is a much-needed commodity, especially nowadays.

Another thing I discovered was a reoccurring theme of waiting on the Lord throughout scripture. Abraham waited 25 years for the son God promised him. After leaving Egypt, the Israelites wander the desert for 40 years before entering the Promised Land. David waited close to 20 years from the time he was anointed by Samuel to the time he became king over Judah. Simeon, the priest, waited his whole life for the promised Messiah.
How long did Jesus pray in the Garden of  Gethsemane? Probably several hours. Then after the horror of His death, how long did Mary and the disciples wait in anguish? Three long days that must of have seemed like an eternity. Christ followers waited 50 days for the promised Holy Spirit.

Growth and holiness are not achieved through

hurriedness, busy-ness, or instant gratification.

 The way of God is the way of waiting.

If I want to have a heart that melts for what melts God’s, I must wait, hope, trust, and rest in Him.

In this way, I can be molded, filled and used by God. Waiting on the Lord in 2017 is beginning to sound pretty good to me.


YOUR TURN: Has God ever told you to wait? Do you have a hard time with waiting, like most of us?

I encourage you to read some of the insightful comments from readers below.
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http://maryanderingcreatively.com/lmmlinkup-new-year-giveaway/

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