‘Times of Waiting’

Daily Devotional – Tuesday, April 27, 2021

“The LORD is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD.” (Lamentations 3:25-26, NLT)

This past Sunday, many in our congregation responded to the invitation to share how they have seen God at work in this last year. It was very encouraging to hear from everyone together and it was interesting to note that the theme of ‘waiting’ held a prominent place in our sharing. One individual described his recent experience with God’s ‘just in time’ response. And haven’t we all been there? We have a need, but it’s almost as though God chooses to wait until all hope is gone before he jumps in and ‘tada!’ Some of us are quick to give praise to God for his loving care; however, for others, it could appear as though God relishes in making us squirm, choosing to provide answers in the eleventh hour…when it’s almost too late, but ‘just in time.’

I’ve been thinking about it, asking God why he so often chooses to work in this way. We must be careful about declaring God’s reasons for working as he does, but I have concluded that our need to wait is, in part, one of God’s means for helping us to grow into spiritual maturity. When we perceive a need and bring it to God, he could instantaneously provide a solution, but more times than not he doesn’t. One of the reasons he does not immediately remove our ‘thorns’ is because they actually work to reveal greater needs—deficiencies in our character and relationship with him.

When you are faced with a difficulty and have turned to God in prayer, what next?
• Do you go into problem-solving mode? You may have control issues that need to be surrendered to God.
• Are you overcome with fear and anxiety? This may be an opportunity to grow in your ability to trust God.
• Do you begin to doubt God’s existence or goodness. The wait time may be to build your faith and knowledge of him.
• Are you overcome with anger? God may want you to mature in your ability to love him first over yourself.
• Do you become whiney and petulant toward God? He may know you need to grow in the area of being contented.
• Or do you, like most of the human race, simply find it difficult to be patient? God values patience, endurance and the ability to persevere in his children.
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So why does God so often provide his answers ‘just in time.’ Because it is during the times when we are forced to wait for his help that deeper needs come to the surface. We are forced to face ourselves as we truly are, our lack of spiritual maturity, and the distance we still have to go before we can experience full and true freedom in Christ—free to know him and his great love for us. God doesn’t want us to resist having to wait, but rather to lean into it and see what other needs he may be wanting to help us with.
Be still. Listen. Wait.
~ Pastor Jane