Waiting For God To Answer Series

Waiting for God to answer

My wife and I have just recovered from our second round of Covid-19. After each positive lateral flow test, we had to wait patiently for the day our tests would be negative. I am sure you would agree that waiting patiently can be hard work, and this is especially true when we are waiting upon the Lord, who keeps to His perfect timetable.

In Psalm 40 King David wrote:

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,

and He turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the pit of despair,

out of the mud and the mire.

He set my feet on solid ground

and steadied me as I walked along.

He has given me a new song to sing,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see what He has done and be amazed.

They will put their trust in the Lord.

Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord.

(Psalm 40:1-4)

A person’s willingness to wait reveals the value of what they desire. We must willingly wait for the Lord to send His best, in His perfect timing. Of course, we will not receive everything we request. We are not God, we are only human, and we probably do not know all the details of a situation.

When we pray, we ask God for what we think we need, based on our limited information. We need to pray with a submissive heart and be willing to accept our omnipotent Father’s gentle redirection.

Sometimes, God’s answer to us is simply “no”. In other cases, He will adjust our desire to match His plans and purpose. Yet, God in His grace will provide us with what we actually need.

Waiting patiently on our Lord is an awesome witness. When God responds, others can see the reality of God, His faithfulness, and the wisdom of our commitment. In addition, our faith is strengthened.

Blessings will come as we continue to be gripped by the grace of God.