Waiting Before The Lord July 17, 2024
When I was learning how to declare the scriptures, I kept hearing different people talk about waiting before the Lord. They talked about how it really encouraged them and gave them peace. One person talked about the mechanics of how to wait. She said find a comfortable position and take a few deep breaths to help you calm down and focus on what God is saying. She said don't be surprised if the enemy does everything he can to distract you. Your phone might ring or you could find yourself thinking about what to have for supper, etc. Settle yourself again and focus. Make sure you're in a place that is private, with your door closed, to help cut down on distractions. If you have pets, don't let them in the room with you.
Waiting before the Lord is a learned skill. The old saying “Practice makes perfect” applies here. Don't get discouraged if you don't have immediate results. Sometimes you may not even be aware of what God is doing in your life just because you are being obedient to wait before Him. After I had been waiting before the Lord for a while, I was invited to a women's retreat. The second day we divided into small groups. The leader asked questions and, when I was answering, I was shocked at the authority behind my answers. I was asking the Lord about it later and He told me that while I was waiting before Him, there was a ‘Divine Transaction’ taking place. Just the mere fact that I was being obedient to wait, opened me up for God's blessing. God has so many things He wants to give us. All he's waiting for is for us to get serious and start believing that God's Word says what it means and means what it says. There are so many promises in God's Word about what happens when we wait upon the Lord. It doesn't say He has to speak to us or we have to have a wonderful feeling while we are waiting. The promises only depend on us being obedient to wait. It's just icing on the cake when He speaks to us or we have a feeling of peace that passes all understanding. Many times I experience the joy of the Lord while I'm waiting. The joy of the Lord is my strength. I gain strength to tackle another day.
Isaiah 40:31 “But 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.”
Psalm 37:9 “For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.”
Psalm 40:1-3 “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth---Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.”
Some will say that these verses are about waiting for God to do something and not rushing ahead of Him. I say they go hand in hand and both are true. When you are learning to wait before the Lord, you are also learning to trust Him. You begin to realize that His timing is perfect and that makes you content to wait and not rush ahead of Him.
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