Waiting on the Lord

Waiting on the Lord is not idleness or indecision. It is a discipline – a difficult one at that – that involves submission to His authority. It violates the mentality of “doing anything is better than doing nothing; waiting is wasted time and inactivity is the worst thing you can do to solve your problem.” Many think that doing the wrong thing is preferable to doing nothing. Not so!

David, a man after God’s heart, was left waiting for seven years before he grasped the scepter and ruled Israel as God had promised. For seven long years he lived as a fugitive, wondering whether he would live to see the promise fulfilled. He said, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:13-14 NKJV).

OK, you may be thinking, perhaps the waiting business worked for men of old, but what about today? Before you count it lost time or effort, hear out what Vance Havner, a modern prophet, wrote: “Call it what you will, there is a waiting before God that we hurried, modern mortals do not know, that sends a man back to his task with the hand of God upon him in such a fashion that the waters of Jordan part before him. It is not that God puts a premium on fasting and nightlong prayers, and tears, and austerities of the flesh. But he does reward burning desire for His very best – that leaves no stone unturned.”

Waiting is never wasted time but a decision to allow a Sovereign God to guide and direct your life.

Used with permission from Guidelines Philippines, Inc. To learn more about Guidelines and the ministry, please write to Box 4000, 1280 Makati City, Philippines or e-mail address [email protected]. You may also visit our website at www.guidelines.org.