The Discipline of Waiting

I have been working at a church plant project since the beginning of this year. I have made considerable progress so far but I have had to go back to the drawing board several times as I face unanticipated hurdles. 

Last week on Monday just before I woke up the Lord reminded me through a dream that He is deeply concerned with what I am doing. I saw my self writing with my fingers on an earthen wall and as I did I remembered Isaiah 49:16,

 “See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.” 

  

As I reflected on this I realized that God sometimes puts us in His waiting list not because He doesn’t approve what we want to do but because there are things He is working in and around us. The accomplishment of His will requires a convergence of several things such as the idea we have, resources, time and people.  While the idea depends entirely on us and our response to Him, timing is critical to Him as He uses it to mature the idea and also avail and apportion resources.

 The people factor is the most critical because as the saying goes, “if you want to walk fast walk alone but if you want to go far take others with you.” God is not only working in you but also in those around you and He wants you to be patient as He works in all the interested parties to bring such an agreement in regard to the purpose, timing and means or methods of accomplishing His will. It is here where we are tested most since as the primary stakeholders you and I sleep and dream the vision God has given us and often wonder why others cannot see it the way we do.

 To be honest it is really irritating, yet as believers we must remind ourselves always that we serve for and at His pleasure. We do his bidding not our own. Although we wish that things could roll out a bit faster, waiting is ultimately part of Gods grand plan to achieve the utmost for the highest good.  We can never appreciate the wisdom of waiting when we focus on the now because it’s always a hindsight. In the counsel of Isaiah 40:31,

 

“…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.

 

I believe those who wait on the LORD not only renew their strength to face their obstacles but also later look back and say an emphatic ‘Thank you Jesus.’

According to God’s wisdom and foreknowledge, delay doesn’t mean denial, in fact delay to Him is redemptive. Isaiah 49:23 gives us this assurance, 

“Then you will know that I am the LORD, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me."

As I settled to take time and pray, I ended up in worship. One of the songs that really struck a chord in my heart in this moment was, Jesus, all for Jesus by Robin Mark. In the lyrics of this song Mark says, 

Jesus, all for Jesus… All I am and have and ever hope to be. All of my ambitions, hopes and plans I surrender these into Your hands…. For it's only in Your will that I am free….

The secret of waiting patiently on God is surrender to Him and to His plans. To wait is to allow His will for us to unfold without our unsolicited advice or interference. It is to rest on the fact that dreams surrendered to Him cannot die but in His time will grow and flourish far beyond our wildest imaginations. 

Consider the following scriptures:

Psalm 62:5 My soul, wait silently for God alone….

Psalm 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him….

Psalm 130:5-6 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.  ⁶ My soul waits for the Lord More than those who watch for the morning -- Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.

Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage…Wait, I say, on the LORD!

Psalm 27:14