Waiting for the Lord

The are so many things I've wanted to do and not had time to even begin. I had intentions to do them once I reached the finish line for school. However, once I reached it I realized I didn't know where to begin and that I don't have time to do many things well. On top of that, one thing the Lord has been saying is "wait".

I am paying attention to and trying to learn the the difference between what God is in the middle of and what just seems good. I only want to go where God is leading me and do what He is asking me to do. So I am waiting for Him. 

I have learned that when the Lord says "wait," you wait. Pushing forward when the Lord says "wait" is exhausting and fruitless. When the Lord asks you to wait, it is good news.

Waiting is not lame, it is not punishment, and it is not rejection. Waiting means that something  is coming that is better than what is presently available. Waiting on the Lord means He is He has a good plan and He is arranging the details. Waiting is powerful.

For example, waiting during pregnancy means both the parents and the baby get 9 months to prepare for the amazing moment they will meet. The parents have no ability to form the baby or rush its development. God does that while they wait and prepare themselves. It is also God's grace that He gives the parents time to prepare and anticipate a gift that will change their life forever.

An invitation to wait is  powerful because it's and invitation to see that "the LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still" (Exodus 14:14). Those words were the instructions to the Israelites when they were facing seemingly certain destruction by the Egyptians. The Israelites never had to fight that battle. The Lord won it for them in a surprising and miraculous way.

Waiting for the Lord also displays trust. Logically, taking action is more effective than taking no action. However, God created the universe and knows everything. He is for us and not against us. If He says wait, it's the best thing to do. 

Throughout the Old Testament, the Israelites won battles, not on their own strength or ability, but based on their obedience to the Lord. The other nations feared them because the Lord was with them. Obedience to God is better than human reason. (It's more logical than logic!)

As another example, Jesus commanded His disciples not to leave Jerusalem until they received the gift the Father had promised (Acts 1:4). They waited and received the Holy Spirit, who brought the boldness, power, and guidance they needed to accomplish their mission. The Gospel would not have gotten far if they had ignored Jesus and set out to continue in the ministry they already knew. Waiting in obedience is powerful.

The Lord can accomplish more in a moment than we can in a lifetime. I'm not against working hard, but if one of us if going to accomplish something, I'd much rather it be Him than me. 

I don't even know what exactly I am waiting for. I just know that there's something ahead that no matter how hard I could try, I can't "make" it happen. God is at work, so I am waiting.

If God says wait, waiting is good. Just wait...and see.