Instant Everything
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
We live in an age of instant everything. With just a few clicks we can buy dinner and have it delivered, a whole list of groceries, or even a new fall wardrobe and school supplies.
We can slip a coffee pod in a Keurig and have fresh coffee in seconds. A simple text gets sent in less than a second to as many people as we’d like. We haven’t had to wait for a newspaper with the latest headlines in years. We have the world at our fingertips with no delays.
Maybe that’s why waiting is so difficult.
Have you ever sat at a red light, and it finally turns green but the person at the front of line is still in wait mode just sitting there? By the time they get moving, only 1 or 2 people get through the green and the waiting starts all over again. It’s extremely frustrating. My patience only goes so far, then the grumbling begins.
Grumbling, murmuring, complaining…all seem to creep in while waiting.
I once stood in line to ride a new roller coaster for 3 hours. It was the better part of the day. At first, I willingly waited. I wanted to enjoy the thrill of the ride. Excitement and anticipation carried me through the first hour of waiting. Well into the second hour my focus was no longer the excitement of the ride, but the extremely long, boring, and hot wait.
My focus changed from the excitement of the ride to the circumstances I was facing while I waited.
I think that’s how it is when I am in a season of waiting. I know God has good things in store. I know His plans are perfect. I know He is going to provide. It seems, though, the longer I wait, the more I find to complain about, and I’ve even begun to doubt.
God’s word tells us instead of grumbling and complaining while we wait, we should live expecting with hope quietly with strength and courage.
Wow! Wait quietly? There’s the light bulb moment. If we wait quietly, with our mouths closed, there’s no way we can grumble, murmur, or complain.
He also wants us to wait with hope. God wants us to wait with excited anticipation for what is ahead.
What are you waiting for? God has good things ahead. Here’s to renewed strength as we wait together!
In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” Psalm 5: 3
“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” Lamentations 3:25-26 –
Micah 7:7 – “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” Micah 7:7
Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 27:14