To run or not to run? That is the question

I think it is the human condition for us to cringe whenever trouble occurs. If the trouble is big enough, then we want the pain of it to be over, and over now. When the painful waiting begins we run to anything, including God, to fix “it” so the pain will stop---just stop. When the pain of our trouble nags at us 24/7, we cry out to God for Him to fix it, solve it, stop it….please, LORD, now!

“How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart all the day. How long will my enemies be exulted over me?” Psalm 13:1-2

The reality is that our cries to Him, for our troubles to be over, are probably legitimate. The LORD knows how it hurts us and grieves us. He understands our sadnesses and our agonies. Often His answer to our cries is----Wait. Wait for His time.

Wait. Waiting. How frustrating it is to wait. In life we wait for everything. And then, when the waiting is over, there are another ten things to wait for. We have grown up in our society learning to not be patient.

I am a new creation, though, and so I must learn His way. When waiting in the LORD we need to think Biblically. It is a new and different way compared to the way the world waits. We are blessed to have a Father in heaven who understands our waiting, our frustrations, our deep agonies. We can call on Him any time. We can lean on Him and live in His strength. In our weakness we can be strong. As we allow ourselves to grow strong in Him, it will produce endurance in us so that we may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. Waiting on Him during our pain is the way to live.

In James 1:2-4 it says, “Consider it all joy my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

In the LORD our waiting is not passive; it is very active. We may worry as we actively wait on Him, but waiting on the LORD is not worrying. Waiting in Him is praying and trusting in Him. In our weakness we want a solution, and we can very vividly explain to Him many times how we want Him to solve our troubles. Waiting on the LORD, though, means we must lay our solutions and all the pain at His feet as often as we need to do this. We need to TRUST in His timing and know His solution will be the best.

“I am weary with my sighing; Every night I make my bed swim , I dissolve my couch with my tears. My eye has wasted away with grief; It has become old because of all my adversaries. Depart from me, all you who do iniquity, for the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping. The LORD has heard my supplication, the LORD receives my prayer. All of my enemies will be ashamed and greatly dismayed; They shall turn back, they will suddenly be ashamed.” Psalm 7:6-10

Yeah! :oD Let’s get busy actively waiting, trusting in the One who is able to do far more than we can ever imagine.

Jill