LHF#36: Courageous Waiting

We are all waiting. 
We are waiting for the coronavirus to peak, and than decline, both in the number of people infected and in the severity of the disease. We are waiting for these quarantine days to end. We're not sure what our world will look like at that point... But we are waiting.

As Christians it's important to be aware of the spiritual realities. This requires thinking a little deeper, going past the first thought or reaction. So in this case we should be interested not just in waiting, but in what we are waiting for and how we are waiting.

When we say we are waiting for this to be over, what is the dominant desire?
For things to get back to normal? 
To not be stuck at home anymore?
To spend time with others again?

All very normal and understandable desires. We should desire the end of this pandemic and the suffering it has caused for so many in our world. But what if we had a deeper longing that surpassed even that of these basic, human desires? 

The Bible speaks of waiting for God. If waiting for God becomes what we are ultimately, most deeply waiting for, that will change all other waiting we do! Because waiting for God changes us to the point that we wait differently.

So how do we wait for God? Let's listen to someone with experience in this area!

Wait for the Lord;
be strong, 
and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!
Psalm 27:14

David waited for God.
In this Psalm we find David enduring great adversity. In his struggles he waited for God to help, to protect, to answer, to teach, and to lead him. He is functioning with the experience that God is able to meet him in these ways.

David waited with courage.
He reminded himself of the truth he knew about God. David chose to be strong, not in his own strength, but in the strength and the help and the comfort he knew was available in God. This gave him courage to face the battles and submit himself to wait for the Lord.

Waiting on the Lord with courage requires us to change our mental autopilot. We need to lift our eyes off the unusual pressures and the daily grind. We must place our hope and trust in the Lord we are waiting for.

This change of focus will enable us to receive the needed grace for each new day. We will be able to live in the moment with thankful hearts. Our eyes will be open to what God is doing in the here and now. We will have courage knowing that God is in control and that God is good, in every situation.  

How does Psalm 27 encourage you to...
...wait on the Lord?
...wait with courage? 


written by Gina