Wait For It...

Print this post.

I’ve probably stated in a previous post that one of my favorite scriptures is Proverbs 3:5-6.  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.”  Another favorite of mine is Romans 12:12, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”  It could be that these are my favorites because I tend to be rather impatient.  I have a tendency to have my own plan ready to go when it seems God has not yet revealed His plan to me.  I try to be cognizant of this personal weakness. I’ve been making an effort to rise early to pray and meditate before starting each day.  I find that in the quiet of the house, when everyone else is still sleeping, before the stress of the day’s work begins, I can be calm and quiet as I listen for the Lord’s gentle whisper. (I Kings 19:12)  

Recently, I was reading in 1 Samuel for my Bible study lesson and came across a passage that really illustrates what it means to “trust in the Lord” and to be “patient in affliction.”  In 1 Samuel, David is anointed (16:13), then realizes that Saul, the current king, is not ready to give up his throne and, in fact, would like to see David dead (18:11). David flees from Saul and is on the run for about 15 years.*  At one point, when David is on the run he goes to Mizpah in Moab. There he asks the king, “Would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God will do for me?” (22:3)

This verse, this idea, that David is so faithful, so willing to wait for the Lord to reveal His next steps really struck me as a model for what my trust in God should be.  David is in a bad situation and he knows that something must be done. Rather than decide for himself, what to do, he asks the king if he will allow his parents to stay with him INDEFINITELY…”until I learn what God will do for me.” The king’s faith is evident, too, as he agrees to David’s request.

When I am in a situation where a decision must be made and I’ve prayed, but have not received an answer, I feel pressed to make a decision on my own, and I often do just that.  I hold on to the belief that if I continue to pray through the decision I have just made, that God will see me through. Generally, He does, but this passage makes me think of the blessings I’ve missed out on because I did things my way instead of His way.  Moreover, by doing things my way I could have disrupted an opportunity for God for be glorified--not that God’s glory is left up to me, but through waiting, I could have had an amazing story to tell that would have glorified the Lord, and possibly helped someone else to make the decision to believe.    

As David waited, one thing he did was write Psalms.  He wrote 73 of the 150 Psalms. As we wait, and maybe try to improve our willingness to wait (maybe a 2019 goal) reading Psalms can give us steadfast strength when we are in need and are awaiting God’s answer.  A few Psalms, of interest are below.

~Psalm 33:20-22
Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

~Psalm 40:1    
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
 
~Psalm 130:5-6
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.



​
Thank you for reading!
Please share this post with someone you love.
Kim



*http://www.bible.ca/archeology/bible-archeology-maps-timeline-chronology-1samuel-21-31-saul-david-on-the-run-1012-1004bc.htm​