When it comes to waiting, we find the greatest or the least motivation in these: WHO we are waiting on and WHAT we are waiting for.
Wait on someone who is unreliable, hardly keeps his word and always has an excuse; you would be foolish to keep waiting. However, wait on God who is sure to rise the sun each morning and sets it in the evening, a God who is sure to keep His word and your waiting could never be in vain. It all depends on who.
Wait for a new car and you may just give up waiting. However, wait for a new kidney and you may not quit so easily. It all depends on what.
Who Are You Waiting On?
In the worldly wait, we wait on all kinds of people; it’s no use waiting on some of them. However, in the spiritual world, we wait only on GOD. Have you considered what motivates you to wait on God? People wait on God for numerous reasons. He is powerful, and “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19: 26). We wait on God because we fear failing and we seek direction. Those and many others, are good reasons to wait on God. However, not all of those reasons are good enough to perform the spiritual wait with poise and confidence. For example, are you waiting just because God is powerful, He can work miracles and make things happen? As powerful as He is, if He’s taking too long, you will not be interested in waiting.
In order to wait with poise and confidence, robust reasons must motivate the spiritual wait. Love, trust and obedience will secure the base upon which to establish and perform the spiritual wait.
Love: Wait on God because, He is GOD and you love Him. This reason alone is enough. When you get doubtful and frustrated, remind yourself who you are waiting on. He is the God of the universe. He speaks to storms. His hand measures the depth of the sea. He maintains the galaxies. Gain full confidence that He is capable of handling anything on your behalf. Get to know more about who you are waiting on. That should lay a fixed foundation for the wait. That you are waiting on God is the first and most important bedrock behind the wait, to give you stability and strength. Let the words of Jeremiah 10: 6 comfort you,”Lord, there is no one like you! For you are great, and your name is full of power.” This is your confidence and that’s enough to wrap this up this series; but, there’s more.
Obedience: Wait on God because you want to obey Him and follow the path He has for you. Since our whole purpose on earth is to worship God and give Him glory, why not wait for His direction? Anything contrary to this is disobedience. While we seek Him for direction, if He says wait, as hard as it is, wait. Isaiah 64: 4 confirms, “For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!” (NLT). Know that you are waiting on a God who designed you centuries before you were born. He must know what you need and when you need it. That is your poise.
Trust: Wait on God because, He is omniscient and trustworthy. The fact that He is God also highlights His power to see what we can’t, and to understand what we don’t. He sees, yesterday, today and tomorrow. What bothers us and brings anxiety is that we cannot see ahead or understand what God is working on. However, that God is the one who is doing the work, should remove those anxieties. In addition, God keeps his word. If He said that He will supply everything we need according to His riches in glory, that’s what He means.
Love, obedience and trust, will change your negative attitudes during the wait to a graceful one. Do you love God as your Father and Creator, or because you need something from him? Are you obedient to His will and way for your life? Do you trust Him enough to handle business for you? When you can confidently answer these questions, then you will be ready for the wait.
What Are You Waiting For?
The second bedrock is that fortune that you are waiting on. What is the object of your patience? Is what you are waiting for extremely valuable to you? If the waiting seems long and winding, think about the object of your patience. If it’s worth the wait, then wait. Jacob waited seven years for Rachel, the love of his life. He knew specifically who he wanted, Rachel and no one else. Know what you want in life. If what you are waiting for is worth the world to you and synchronizes with God’s will, how can you jump ahead of God? If you wait for something of significant worth in your business, your personal, professional or family life, and God wants you to have it, that should motivate you to wait.
So, when you feel down or doubtful, when the waiting gets weary, when you feel anxious, look up and remember, WHO you are waiting on; a loving and caring God who knows the details of your life. The spiritual wait is grounded not in faith first, but in relationship. After you develop a strong relationship of love and obedience, then trust and faith will flourish. You cannot have faith, when you don’t have a strong relationship. You can begin to develop that relationship with the Design Series. You can enjoy a graceful, calm, composed and confident wait.
If you know that you are waiting on the God of the universe, why would you even doubt? What’s there to nag about and who in their right mind would quit the wait?
Psalm 27: 14, “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”
We have only two posts left in this series. I will post both of those on Friday and Saturday (July 29 and 30) instead of extending it to Monday. Until then.
Finding Fortunes 