Wait Confidently

 “ For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!”-  Isaiah 64:4.    

This is the time of year when we start to think of the new Year. For many, 2020 is the year that can’t go away fast enough. People across the country are getting restless waiting for the pandemic to end. In January, no one would have believed that we would still be dealing with the pandemic.  

We are growing accustomed to the changes in our life that COVID-19 has necessitated. And we continue to pray and wait. God calls us to wait without understanding all the details. God asks us to trust Him even when our impatience is growing us and frustration is setting in daily. God asks us to trust His sovereign, wide-scope view of the situation which is far greater than we could ever imagine.

So this year has been a test in waiting. In some cases we were successful and in some cases, we wanted to run ahead. Over and over, the Israelites also decided to run ahead of God’s best for them. They grew weary of waiting for God to fulfill His promises. They wondered if God had their best in mind, or if He could be trusted at all. But Isaiah offered them hope: “For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!” (Isaiah 64:4)  

Isaiah wanted to raise the Israelites’ view of God so they would learn to trust Him more. He wanted to remind them that no other god can do what God can do. No one can perceive, hear, or see God’s plan until He reveals it.  When we understand God is good, we can trust He has good in store for us.  

Maybe you are struggling to wait for God’s best. Everything in your heart, mind, or flesh may be crying out for a shortcut — one that will relieve the pressures of life right now. This time of waiting is sometimes hard, but we must press in and seek Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and spirit and not grow weary. We can be down in the valley and at our lowest point; but if we can just pause and focus on Jesus, He will help us to endure the wait.

God’s timing is always perfect and until you have a clear word from God be still, stay where you are, and press in. He will answer. He promises if you seek Him you will find Him. We must trust Him and know that His plan and timing is always the very best for our life. Wait with great expectation and know that our Father in Heaven will answer. “A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a vain hope for victory,  and by its great might it cannot save. . . .Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,  even as we hope in you.” (Psalm 33:16–22)

Discussion Questions:

1. Have you experienced a situation when God was late that still doesn’t make sense? What’s it like to go through that?
2. God’s delays are not God’s denials. Agree or disagree and why? 
3. What difficult situations or circumstances in your life do you need to trust God’s timing in?