Waiting on God – Hannah Middleton
In the years I have walked with the Lord there has been a common thread in every season. Through the valleys and even on the mountain top there is always, “wait.” The waiting is never quite the same. Nevertheless, there has always been, “wait upon me.”
Looking back, I see the grace of the Lord covering me especially in my teen years when I did not understand why He always told me to wait. Now I see the “wait” itself was His grace on me in each season. Waiting on the Lord is not easy. Waiting itself goes against the grain of our culture, and this world will never help you wait. It can be one of the most difficult challenges to learn in our walk with the Lord.
The flesh is eager to run but the spirit is willing to wait… The world will tell us that waiting is time lost or of no necessity, but a good soldier always waits on the instruction he needs from his commander. He never makes his own decisions without instructions, and the same is true for us Christians. Nothing is ever lost or ever wasted when we wait upon the Lord, instead everything can be gained.
It is impossible to wait on God without implementing some of our own understanding because the flesh loves to be involved, even in spiritual things. And, we know that when we add our understanding to what God wants to do, it only leads to disappointment and frustration. But, by His grace, He will give us the ability to not taint what He is doing in us… for we can do all things through Him that strengths us. We will never see all He is doing nor fully comprehend it and that is why our hearts must trust Him fully. When we trust Him, we can rest in Him and what He is doing in us.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5
The Lord is not withholding anything from us by making us wait, rather he wants us to receive everything in Himself. He has proved this to be true by His faithfulness throughout the scriptures and in my own personal life. He has never disappointed me when I obeyed and waited on Him. No, it has always been far more than I could think or imagine. When we have waited on the Lord and He performs that which we have waited for our faith and confidence in Him grows. Then the next time He says, “wait” we can wait with all confidence, knowing He will perform it.
“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say on the Lord” Psalms 27:14
It says HE shall strengthen your heart. He will strengthen you and give you all you need to perform what He has asked of you. We do not need to muster up the ability to do what only the Lord can in us. What freedom that is for us!
David is such an encouragement to me because he held the capacity to wait on the Lord without the new covenant. This means by His grace and his sacrifice I can hold that ability as well. It is truly out of His great love for us that He requires us to wait. His love for you is so vast that He wants you to receive all that He has and not what we could do in ourselves.
Waiting on Him in whatever season you are in is just as powerful as doing something for Him. If you are in a season of waiting, as I am, be encouraged. Do not let your heart grow weary. He will not disappoint. Nothing will be so satisfying as waiting on our Savior.
James 1:2-4
2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
I recently came across this beautiful song titled, “While I Wait”
Listen below by the link