Girlfriends in God - Sept. 12, 2008

September 12, 2008
Waiting
Angela L. Craig

We hope you are enjoying the Girlfriends in God daily devotions. We (Mary, Sharon, and Gwen) would like to introduce you to some of our special friends.  From time-to-time, the Friday devotions will be written by one of our friends in ministry.  We call them our "Friday Friends."  So grab your Bible and a fresh cup of coffee and drink in the words from our "Friday Friend", Angela Craig.

Today’s Truth
Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)  “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Friend to Friend
What are you waiting for? Are you waiting for a new job, financial security, healing, a baby, or a restored marriage? It seems that no matter where we are in life, we are waiting for something.  Personally, I’m not a fan of the waiting game. I favor control over limbo because control produces a sense of security while limbo creates feelings of vulnerability and instability.

There are many stories of “waiting” in the Bible.  In some of the stories, the waiting seemed to last forever while others only waited a few, intense moments.  Think of Sarai and Abram who waited for a child for nearly twenty years. Or of Hezekiah who was healed from certain death by the power of prayer. Can you identify with any of these people? Have you been waiting so long for something that you have almost given-up hope in God’s ability or desire to answer your request? Or are you like Hezekiah who received a miracle with his first prayer?

The Bible teaches us that we should “wait on the Lord.” But what does that really mean? The verb “wait” is defined as the act of waiting or looking with confidence and great expectation towards the future. Why is it, that so many times I have asked God for something and then said, “Well, we will just wait and see what happens.” Where is the confident expectation in that phrase?

Let me suggest three actions we can take to help us learn how to “wait on the Lord”, knowing and believing that He wants to help.

  1. Trust – If we doubt God’s willingness to hear and answer our prayer, we can begin to feel bitter when we think God has heard our prayer, but He is silent.  Scripture teaches us that God is unchangeable and we can rely on Him to provide the best possible path for our lives!
  2. Resist – We must resist taking matters into our own hands. Patience is essential in many circumstances and the Holy Spirit is available to fill us with patience when we feel we cannot wait another minute.
  3. Pray – How many times have you given a request to God and felt He had earplugs in? This situation always leads me to insistently repeat my prayer until I either give up or lose my voice. After we have given our need to the Lord, we must turn our question into a “Thank you”. Thanking God is an active display of faith that demonstrates to God and to the world a confident expectation of God’s awesome answer and provision!

Let’s Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, I have been waiting for ________________________ and I come before You today to ask for Your help. I pray that You will increase my faith today as I believe in You with confidence and eager expectation of Your answer! I believe that Your plan for my life is the best one possible and I thank You for Your answer.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

  1. Have you ever given up on God?
  2. Which area do you struggle with the most when “waiting on the Lord”: trust, resist, or prayer?
  3. Depending on your answer to question two, choose a Bible verse that reflects your decision to grow in that area. For example: if you struggle with trust, you might choose Psalm 91:2 (NIV), “I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 

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Originally published Friday, 12 September 2008.

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