Waiting on God
Wait on God!
I want to go ahead and give you these articles to read just in case you don’t read this inspirational message to the end. You can click on each title to read the articles.
Article 1. Why is waiting on God so difficult?
Article 2. What does the Bible say about waiting?
Article 3. What does it mean to wait on the Lord (Psalm 27:14)?
Article 4. What are some Bible verses about waiting?
Context Summary
Psalm 25:1–7 reveals David's trust in the Lord in a time of intense danger. He waits on the Lord to keep him from falling into disgrace at the hands of his foes. Parallel to this, Psalm 37:1–11 contains David's counsel about trusting the Lord and waiting on Him. He assures his readers that the Lord will destroy evildoers but reward the righteous. Psalm 40:1–5 also records the value David found in waiting on the Lord for deliverance from danger and distress.I want to point out three facts about David, and what we can learn from his experience, and how to apply it in our daily lives. David trusted in the Lord in a time of intense danger.David knew the value of trusting in the Lord and waiting on Him.David found value in waiting on the Lord for deliverance from danger and distress.
David trusted in the Lord in times of danger and need. One of the things that David needed from God was “instructions from God”. Psalm 25 emphasizes David’s need for deliverance from his enemies and David’s need for forgiveness from God. The psalmist was not ashamed to turn to the Lord for instruction and forgiveness for the sins of his youth. Psalm 25:4-7 in the New Living Translation says, “Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Remember, O LORD, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past. Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O LORD. In the King James Version, “Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: For thou art the God of my salvation; On thee do I wait all the day. Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; For they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: According to thy mercy remember thou me For thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.” These passages exemplify that David needed instructions and guidance from God. Receiving instructions and guidance is very important in life. Instructions give us direction or information about how something should be done or operated. Receiving instructions and giving instructions have always been a part of human life. Parents give instructions and guidance to their children. Teachers give instructions and guidance to their students. Anytime a person joins the military, they will receive instructions and guidance (training) so that they will become a member of whichever branch they join. When you apply for a new job and if you get hired, then you will receive instructions on how to play your role as an employee of that company. David understood the value of receiving instructions from the Lord. David said in Psalm 25:4-5 “Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: For thou art the God of my salvation; On thee do I wait all the day.” We all have a particular way of doing things. And, very often, we forget that God has a particular way of doing things too. As Christians, we have to always consult with God about everything in our lives. What we can learn from David is that we ought to ask God to teach us His path, and His way, and lead us in His truth. Ask God to show "you" HIS way. What must I do, God? What path do you want me to take? Help me to wait on YOU.What does Psalm 25:4 mean?
Life is a journey, not a single step. This is something David's words recognize with clarity. In this Psalm, he uses the word "way" four times and "path" twice.Wisely, David does not lean on his own wisdom for direction in life. Rather, he asks the Lord for guidance. His prayer honors the counsel given in Proverbs 3:5–6. These verses state: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Making our own plans rather than seeking and following God's plans can lead to disaster. Proverbs 14:12 insists, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death."Similarly, the apostle James writes: "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit'—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring…Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that'" (James 4:13–15).What does Psalm 25:5 mean?
Here continues David's prayer, now asking the Lord to lead him in God's truth and to teach him. Prayer and Scripture were both important to David.We cannot go astray if we look to the Lord in prayer and obey His Word. Psalm 119:105 states, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." We find guidance in Scripture for the next step as well as for life's long journey. As a righteous Hebrew, David knew that God had delivered His precepts and promises to the people of Israel to keep them in the path of blessing (Deuteronomy 27—30). He knew, too, that God had promised to make Joshua's way successful if Joshua obeyed the Book of the Law (Joshua 1:7–8).In Psalm 25:5 David calls God his Savior and states that he always waits on Him. Despite the pressures of life, including vicious opposition, David endured by anticipating help from the Lord.What does Psalm 25:6 mean?
In this verse, David reflects upon Jehovah's favors and love, and observes that they have existed "from of old." "Of old" can be literally translated as "from ancient times" or "from eternity." God has always shown mercy and love, but also, He has always been merciful and loving. These attributes are part of His nature. Likely, David wrote these words while recalling specific instances when God revealed His mercy and love to Israel and to himself.In his song of redemption following the Red Sea crossing, Moses referred to both God's mercy and love. He exulted: "You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed" (Exodus 15:13). Psalm 106 provides clear evidence of God's steadfast love and mercy by telling how He came to Israel's assistance despite that nation's rebellion. The first verse calls upon Israel to "Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!"What does Psalm 25:7 mean?
David prays about those things he does not want the Lord to remember, as opposed to those he does want Him to remember. Naturally, David does not want the Lord to remember the sins he committed as a young man. These sins probably included both sins of omission and sins of commission. Because David knew God is merciful and loving, he appeals to Him for pardon.Youth is certainly a time when passions are strongest and restraint is weakest. In his reply to his critic Zophar, Job said, "You write bitter things against me and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth" (Job 13:26). In his second letter to Timothy, the apostle Paul exhorts Timothy: "Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart" (2 Timothy 2:22). While it might seem easier to err in our youth, temptation does not stop when we grow old. But all who put their faith in God, whether young or old, can be triumphant over the temptation to sin. Psalm 119:9 counsels: "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word."We ought to look over our life and ask ourselves: Did I do wrong to someone? Did I look down on someone? Did I sin against God? What wrong have I done against God?David did wrong in God's eye. So, he asked God to pardon him, to forgive him. David cried out, "Lord, remember your great mercy and love; remember your tender mercies and lovingkindness: for they have been ever of old. (meaning: based on God's mercy and love, "which had been known for ages" David prayed that the sins of his youth not be held against him). God has always shown his mercy and love towards the children of Israel. They always sinned against God and turned their back on God's way. And when HIS people get into trouble, they always cry out to God, " save us, forgive us, save us, Lord." Then, God would save them and deliver them from their enemies. His people would do right for a while, and then suddenly, they went back to doing the same things. That cycle was repeated over and over again. David understood God's tender mercies and God's lovingkindness.David understood the nature of God and that God is good, upright, loving, and faithful. Every Christians and sinner needs God's guidance.Here is a food for thought:
If an army has been sent out to march into an enemy's country, then suddenly receive news that they are not to advance at this moment. Someone will always ask," What are we waiting for"? The answer will often be "waiting for supplies, waiting for instructions, or waiting for orders. In Christian life, day by day, we need to hear from God at every step. You ought to depend on God and confide in God for everything, and it would be best to have your daily supply of bread (reading and studying God's Words), instructions, or orders from God. When we pray, we often pray about our own needs, and we always demand or require something from God or ask for a material blessing from God. And, after we finished praying, we say Amen with little waiting on God to reply to you. Praying or prayer is our only way of communicating with God. Whenever you speak with someone, one person listens, and the other person does the talking. After you finish talking, it's your time to listen while the other person is doing the talking. We as Christain love to tell God what we want, but we don't wait for HIS reply. And, as soon as a "good idea" pops into your head, or you "feel" something in your heart or spirit, DO NOT always jump to a conclusion in prayer. Take your time in prayer with God, and spend time with God in prayer. Sometimes we have to seek God for more than five minutes. You might say, "but I prayed for like an hour. I feel this is what God is telling me to do". But, sometimes, you need to seek God for more than an hour, more than a day, etc., about whatever it is you are seeking from HIM. Don't rush into battle too quickly. Do not be quick to make a life-changing decision. Wait on (for) God to give you instructions. When we pray, we should be mindful and remember and realize who we are praying to; "We are "praying to the only Almighty Holy Living God. God loves you! Remember that HE is God, and God does not serve us. We are created to serve God. Here is a personal story of mine:
I remember whenever I needed to call someone, they were always too busy. By spending time with God in prayer, this is what I learned: Some people might be busy, and they might not be able to talk about certain things with you, but God can be everywhere at the same time. If 7 billion people pray to God simultaneously, God can talk back to all 7 billion people simultaneously while addressing the different needs of the 7 billion people at the same time. If all the people in the world talk to God simultaneously, then God can still speak to the whole world at the same time while still attending to each of our personal needs at the exact time. Don't get upset at people when you can not find someone to counsel you. God can give you the perfect counseling. As a human, your human desire might be to hear the voice of another human to talk with you, but God can speak in any way that pleases HIM and reach you. All you have to do is be willing to pray and wait on God. Don't rush to a conclusion in prayer. But spend time with God in prayer. It doesn't hurt to bow quietly before God, and it does not hurt to "just be still before HIM" and allow His Holy Spirit to stir up in your soul the child-like disposition of absolute dependence and confident expectation. Wait upon God as the only Living God who notices you and wants to fill you. Wait on God till you know you have met HIM in prayer. Wait on God!What Does The Bible Say About Waiting?
The world today is geared toward instant gratification and is averse to waiting. Modern transportation allows passengers to reach their destination in a fraction of the time it took centuries ago. Conveniences such as the microwave oven and email speed up cooking and correspondence. Even the transmission of biblical knowledge has evolved from a painstaking transcription process into pocket-sized computers. Turn on a smart phone, and the entire Bible is at one’s fingertips. For all these reasons and more, waiting often carries a negative connotation in modern society. But the Bible illuminates the blessings that waiting can bring.Waiting on the Lord
Exercising a patient, confident trust in the Lord, even amid trouble, is the biblical idea of waiting on the Lord. Believers know that God is good and that He is in control. “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him” (Lamentation 3:25). He will act in His time, and, in the meantime, His children can will rest. “None who wait for you shall be put to shame” (Psalm 25:3, ESV). We are commanded to wait, and faith demands it: “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14). The Lord promises to help those who wait on Him (Isaiah 30:18; 40:31).Waiting on God’s Justice
King David, though greatly blessed by God, struggled mightily throughout his life. In the book of Psalms, he describes his personal reactions to perilous times. In moments of distress, David cried out to God and sought protection from and justice against his enemies: “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes” (Psalm 37:7). Even while fearing for his life, David said, “We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name” (Psalm 33:20–21).Waiting on Answered Prayer
When faced with fear and distress, the Christian is encouraged to “cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). After we pray about a problem, our tendency is to immediately start looking for God’s answers. However, God often requires a time of waiting before answering. David, seeking relief from his troubles, said, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry” (Psalm 40:1). Though answers to prayers aren’t promised immediately, God does promise to hear our prayers.God also promised to help those who can’t even muster the words to pray. The apostle Paul said, “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans” (Romans 8:25–26). The Holy Spirit comes alongside believers and prays with and for them, even as they await an answer.Elsewhere, Paul offers this encouragement in waiting: “But we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope” (Romans 5:3–4). Having patience builds us up, leading to stronger character and increased faith in God.Waiting on the Return of Jesus and Our Glorification
A popular topic in the days of the early church was the return of Jesus Christ. As Christians throughout history were persecuted and martyred across the world, they hoped for the day when their Savior would return and save them. James, the brother of Jesus, encouraged the early Christians with these words: “Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near” (James 5:7–8). Waiting is not easy. Paul says that Christians “groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23). As believers wait for that day when they will see Christ and be glorified, they have a responsibility: “Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life” (Jude 1:21).Waiting — The Conclusion
God’s timeline isn’t the same as that of human beings (see 2 Peter 3:8–9). Though waiting is difficult and unpopular in today’s culture, it is necessary for God’s plan. The Bible provides ample comfort and promises blessings to those who wait.