For most of us “the good wait” is an oxymoron. I mean how could waiting for anything be good, right? We live in a world of instant gratification. Most of us have smart phones that are filled with apps that make everything faster. Don’t have time to stop for directions? There’s an app for that. Don’t have time to wait for dinner? Amazingly, Outback even has an app for that. Don’t have time to open a real book? Lots of apps for that. Don’t have time to date? I got you covered, because there’s an app for that too. Don’t want to wait to see the next episode of your favorite tv show? Hello Nextflix app! Some of these apps are great and they do make our lives a little easier, but let’s be honest we don’t like to wait. We want what we want and we want it now!
Unfortunately there are going to be times in our lives when God has us in a season of wait. If you are currently in that season, like me, then you know how completely frustrating it can be. Whether you are waiting for a husband, waiting to start a family, waiting to hear back from test results, waiting for that promotion, waiting to see the pounds finally come off, waiting for God to give you revelation, waiting for healing, waiting for your prodigal child to come home; the wait is hard. But, according to Isaiah 40:31 it is totally possible with God.
“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.”
This passage makes waiting look like it could actually be a good thing, which is totally counter cultural. As much as I have struggled through my own season of waiting, I have seen this verse be the absolute truth in my own life. There is strength that comes when we completely trust God during our wait.
Even though I know this verse is the truth about waiting, I’ve also seen myself fall into some unhealthy patterns while waiting. And wouldn’t you know, God has a word about that also. In Exodus 32 we see the Israelites camped at the bottom of Mount Sinai waiting on Moses to come back down with the 10 commandments. Just before Moses went up to meet with God he read aloud the Book of the Covenant to the people and told them to wait there. He purposefully reminded them of God’s faithfulness so they wouldn’t grow weary during their wait. Bu they did, and instead of waiting for Moses to bring back a word from God, they did this:
“When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.” Exodus 32:1
They made a cheap substitution to help them get through their wait. Don’t we do the same thing? When we can’t wait for God’s best we tend to just settle for less. We can’t wait for a godly husband, so we keep entering into bad relationships to fill the time. We can’t wait for that promotion, so we start manipulating our way to the top. We can’t wait to lose weight the healthy way so we take pills or starve ourselves. We can’t wait for the test results so we let fear and anxiety take control of our lives. We don’t want to wait until we can afford it so we go into debt. I’m sure you can think of many other examples. But, looking back to our verse in Isaiah, waiting on the Lord will be the only way to sustain us during the wait.
Before Jesus was crucified He took the disciples out to the Garden of Gethsemane and asked them to wait for him while He went to pray. When He returned to them He found them asleep.
“Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Luke 14:37
Not only do we find substitutes during our wait, a lot of times we just fall asleep. Sometimes it’s just easier to check out spiritually when we are in a season of waiting. We let ourselves become numb to anything God might be doing around us because it’s not the ONE thing we are waiting for Him to do. Jesus, though, told the disciples to pray while they wait so they wouldn’t fall into temptation. The way to make the wait “good” is to pray. Keep your mind focused on God and what He is doing around you.
This morning as I’m writing this I have a list in front of me of friends that are waiting for something. More than half of the list is composed of friends that are waiting on the Lord to help them start the families they have been dreaming of. I’m praying that each one would find “the good wait”. The place where they take Isaiah 40:31 and believe that God will in fact renew their strength as they wait! Praying that all of us would stop settling for less and believing God for the best even if it takes a long time to get it and that we would watch and pray and be ready to see the fulfillment of God’s plans for our lives. He is faithful, even in the wait.
April Brazelton
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#aprilbrazeltonblogs