When I feed my dog, Allie, I make her sit and wait until I nod my head and say “Ok.” A few weeks ago I asked myself why I make her wait. One reason is so that I have time to get my hand out of the way so she doesn’t bite me. I also realized that the other reason I make her wait until I say “ok” is because I want to teach her to listen to my voice and I want to teach her obedience.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Neon sign going off in my head “Godly learning opportunity!!!! Godly Learning opportunity!!! Defcom One!!!” (ok maybe it wasn’t that bad but I certainly got the message).
Why does God ask us to wait? Maybe we have to wait because He is clearing a way for us before we can move forward. Maybe we need to wait because the path ahead isn’t safe yet. Or maybe sometimes the only reason He asks us to wait is to teach us something and to help us grow closer to Him.
So what does waiting for God look like? It certainly is not sitting around doing nothing. Waiting for God requires our active participation. Joseph had to wait over 20 years between the time God told him he would rule over his brothers and the nation and the time that promise actually came to fruition. And during that time, Joseph was thrown in a well, sold into slavery, wrongly accused of adultery, thrown into jail (for 13 years), told by another inmate that he would help get Joseph out of jail, then the inmate forgot to help him. Joseph wasn’t sitting still while he waited for God. He was actively seeking God and serving and glorifying Him in every one of the circumstances that God brought him to. And God used each of those circumstances to teach Joseph another lesson that would help him accomplish God’s ultimate goal for his life. Joseph was actively participating in God’s ultimate plan.
And here is the kicker . . . . . Joseph was actively trusting God no matter how long it took and no matter what circumstances he found himself in along the way. Joseph knew what God had promised. He didn’t know how he was going to get there and he didn’t know when it would happen. And I’m sure there were many, many times when Joseph wondered how in the heck he was going to fulfill God’s promise when his life seemed to be going in the complete opposite direction. But still, Joseph believed God, he served God, he glorified God and he trusted God while he waited for God.
For me, this is the absolute hardest lesson I have had to learn ~ trusting God while I wait. At times, this has been agonizing for me. These are the questions I ask myself:
Why am I waiting? Because God asked me to.
What am I waiting for? I have no idea.
Why has God asked me to wait? I have no idea.
And the hardest question of all: How long will I have to wait?
Recently as I was driving to work I asked God, “Why can’t you just give me more information, more details?”
His answer: “Why can’t you just trust Me?”
Ouch! He’s right. Why can’t I just rest in His capable arms and rest knowing that He has it all under control and just go where He wants me to go as I’m waiting? Because it’s all a matter of trust. Do I really trust Him when I don’t know the details and when I don’t even know what I’m waiting for? Am I going to trust Him when doors are shut and there are obstacles in the way and I don’t even know where I’m going or when I’m going to get there? And am I going to trust Him enough to obey him no matter what?
In Habakkuk, God tells Habakkuk that He is going to rise up the Babylonians to destroy the nation of Israel. He is going to scatter His children all over the area and they will be held as slaves to the Babylonians. God says that life is going to get ugly and harsh and horrible. Habakkuk is not happy with this turn of events but he tells God:
“I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what He will say to me and what answer I am to give to this complaint.” Habakkuk 2:1
In other words, Habakkuk will wait for God to do what He said He would do and Habakkuk will trust God, obey Him and wait for His instructions.
Then God tells Habakkuk that at the proper time, He will restore His people and bring them back together. God says:
“For the revelation awaits an appointed time, it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:3
The commentary in my Bible says: “This message deals with the fall of Babylon, which was about 66 years after Habakkuk’s prophecy. God is saying that it may take a while but it will happen and His people are to wait patiently and live by faith ~ trusting in their sovereign God.”
Sixty-six years!! Are you kidding me?!?!? That’s a long, long time to wait. And Habakkuk didn’t have all the details. He didn’t know how long he would have to wait. And while he waited, things were going to look really, really bad. Life would not be great. Habakkuk 3:16 says:
“I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us.”
Habakkuk was terrified. And yet still he waited for God. He was terrified and still he trusted God. He was terrified and still he worshiped God (this is one of my very favorite Scriptures):
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food; though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights.” Habakkuk 3:17-19
So what will we do when God asks us to wait? Will we try to run ahead of Him and take matters into our own hands; trying to control the outcome and timing? Will we wallow in self-pity and anger? Will we hide out in fear terrified to make a move? Will we just do nothing while we wait for the day to come when He tells us it’s time to move?
Or will we obey Him and serve Him while we wait? Will we still praise and worship our sovereign, all knowing and all powerful God even when things don’t appear to be going our way? No matter how afraid we are; no matter how little information we have; and no matter how long it takes will we put our trust in Him?
He wants to bless us and draw us closer to Him as we wait for His nod and His “Ok.” Trust Him ~ no matter what.
Remember: “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him.” Isaiah 30:18
Father, God, please forgive me for being difficult as I wait for You. Forgive me when I want to run ahead of You and try to figure out all the details. Thank You for staying with me as I’ve struggled with trusting You during this season of waiting. I pray that You will give each of us the courage, wisdom and perseverance we need as we wait for You. Thank You for making us wait when the path ahead is not safe. Thank You for making us wait while You prepare the way for us. And thank You for making us wait as we learn obedience and as we draw closer to You. Teach us to trust You and only You when we are in seasons of waiting. You, our Father in Heaven, are well worth the wait. ~robin
