We all know that in the big scheme of things, our lives are short. So we do not have infinite amounts of time to fulfill our dreams and do what we set to accomplish. Nonetheless, there are times when we have to be patient and wait for things to happen. As we finish our education, we are waiting to be skilled enough in our chosen fields to work in them professionally. At other times we are waiting for relationships to develop, feedback on plans or submitted projects, and the list goes on.
As can be expected, the Bible talks about patience and waiting. At various points in the Word, we are called to "wait on God." "Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him...." (Psalm 37:7); "...wait continually for your God" (Hosea 12:6); "but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength..." (Isaiah 40:31). One of our blog posts from December 2015 spoke about "Being Still and Knowing...," which can be related to this idea of waiting on the Lord. You can read it here.
Being patient is a good thing whenever we are waiting for something to happen. It is a good character attribute. But what else can we do while we wait on God? Here are some things we can do:
1. Think about how waiting can help us grow
Exercising patience can be hard if we are waiting for something that is very important to us. We may fret about the result, fearing that things will not go the way we hope. But patience is part of the "Fruit of the Holy Spirit," which can be read about in Galatians 5:22-25. By learning to be patient (which is sometimes a learned thing), we are practicing a Christian, godly trait. Also, if our faith is being tested through waiting, we can keep in mind the words of James: "My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)
2. Keep serving God
As Christians, serving the Lord is our ultimate priority, no matter what our circumstances. While you are waiting, keep on living your Christian life. Whether you are happy or sad, carefree or anxious, keep your sight focused on God and keep obeying Him as you grow through your experience of waiting. And keep praising and giving thanks to God. As is said in the Psalms, "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth." (Psalm 34:1)
3. Take action
Despite the fact that we are talking about waiting, "waiting" does not always mean sitting on your laurels and doing nothing. Yes, sometimes we cannot do much about the situation. But other times we can do things while we wait for something. For example, if we have completed one step of a process and need to wait for it to finish, we could get started on the next step in the meantime. Of course, one must be wise and use good judgment in order to discern if taking action (and what action) is necessary.
4. Pray
Prayer is vital to the Christian life. It is literally communication with God - the God Who created you and this universe. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-8 says, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." There is the principle of persistent prayer, about which Jesus told two parables. These can be read in Luke 11:5-13 and 18:1-8. I will not repeat them here, but they are certainly worth reading. Essentially, Jesus says here that God loves those who come to Him in prayer. He also tells us to pray and not lose heart and not give up. Some preachers suggest that God sometimes makes us wait so that we will show faith by constantly coming to Him in prayer regarding that thing we need and wait for.
Also, knowing that God hears our prayers, knowing that He will act in accordance with His will, and knowing that He loves us and wants the best for us, is a great comfort while we are tumultuously waiting for something from Him. So keep praying and keep faith. God is in control. Also, ask Him to help you learn the lesson you need to learn. One time I had to go through a period of waiting. It was not easy, but it taught me the value of persistent, constant prayer to God about it. Although I had already known about the idea of persistent prayer, this experience really taught me its value first-hand. And I am thankful for that aspect of the experience.
~ Christian Basar
As can be expected, the Bible talks about patience and waiting. At various points in the Word, we are called to "wait on God." "Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him...." (Psalm 37:7); "...wait continually for your God" (Hosea 12:6); "but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength..." (Isaiah 40:31). One of our blog posts from December 2015 spoke about "Being Still and Knowing...," which can be related to this idea of waiting on the Lord. You can read it here.
Being patient is a good thing whenever we are waiting for something to happen. It is a good character attribute. But what else can we do while we wait on God? Here are some things we can do:
1. Think about how waiting can help us grow
Exercising patience can be hard if we are waiting for something that is very important to us. We may fret about the result, fearing that things will not go the way we hope. But patience is part of the "Fruit of the Holy Spirit," which can be read about in Galatians 5:22-25. By learning to be patient (which is sometimes a learned thing), we are practicing a Christian, godly trait. Also, if our faith is being tested through waiting, we can keep in mind the words of James: "My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)
2. Keep serving God
As Christians, serving the Lord is our ultimate priority, no matter what our circumstances. While you are waiting, keep on living your Christian life. Whether you are happy or sad, carefree or anxious, keep your sight focused on God and keep obeying Him as you grow through your experience of waiting. And keep praising and giving thanks to God. As is said in the Psalms, "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth." (Psalm 34:1)
3. Take action
Despite the fact that we are talking about waiting, "waiting" does not always mean sitting on your laurels and doing nothing. Yes, sometimes we cannot do much about the situation. But other times we can do things while we wait for something. For example, if we have completed one step of a process and need to wait for it to finish, we could get started on the next step in the meantime. Of course, one must be wise and use good judgment in order to discern if taking action (and what action) is necessary.
4. Pray
Prayer is vital to the Christian life. It is literally communication with God - the God Who created you and this universe. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-8 says, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." There is the principle of persistent prayer, about which Jesus told two parables. These can be read in Luke 11:5-13 and 18:1-8. I will not repeat them here, but they are certainly worth reading. Essentially, Jesus says here that God loves those who come to Him in prayer. He also tells us to pray and not lose heart and not give up. Some preachers suggest that God sometimes makes us wait so that we will show faith by constantly coming to Him in prayer regarding that thing we need and wait for.
Also, knowing that God hears our prayers, knowing that He will act in accordance with His will, and knowing that He loves us and wants the best for us, is a great comfort while we are tumultuously waiting for something from Him. So keep praying and keep faith. God is in control. Also, ask Him to help you learn the lesson you need to learn. One time I had to go through a period of waiting. It was not easy, but it taught me the value of persistent, constant prayer to God about it. Although I had already known about the idea of persistent prayer, this experience really taught me its value first-hand. And I am thankful for that aspect of the experience.
~ Christian Basar
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