Why Do I Have to Wait?
Don’t worry about the wicked
or envy those who do wrong.
For like grass, they soon fade away.
Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you.
He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
(Psalm 37, 1-4 NLT).
Waiting is active, not passive. Psalm 37 is one of my favorite passages of scripture.
The language is full of calls to action: Trust; Do good; Dwell; Enjoy; Take delight in; Commit and Be still…
I’ll never forget a season I went through several years ago. Through a series of disappointments, discouragement began to set in. It felt like everyone was doing well and succeeding except me. My discouragement turned into comparison (which is always self-centered). I even began to judge others. People who aren’t even doing things right, or pure, or praiseworthy seem to be getting further faster! In my feelings of defeat, I asked the Holy Spirit to give me strategy and was led to memorize the entire chapter of Psalm 37. It took a long time, and it was a daily process. In order to remember from one day to the next, it ended up being the last thing I muddled through my mind before falling asleep and the first thing I thought about as I woke up. What happened throughout the process was nothing short of miraculous. The Words of the Psalm became the truth that began to flow through my veins. I started to actually believe stanzas like, “Don’t envy those who do wrong, it only leads to harm…”
We all know what I feel like to be stuck waiting when we feel like we are ready to move on. When “those who are evil” thrive and flourish to get ahead and we shrivel on the inside and fall behind and scrape by.
If you are waiting for something, please receive this encouragement as straight from the Lord’s heart to you today. Life is a gift. Deeply enjoy every moment you can. Savor the ordinary. A cup of coffee. A meal with friends A good night’s sleep. Laughter. Plant your feet on the ground and take it all in. Because what you’re doing now will set the stage for your future. Whatever is in front of you, wherever you’re en route to, commit your way to God. Make God your navigator. And say the words out loud:
Today is my day to be still in the Lord’s presence. Sure, waiting is hard, that’s why David’s call in the Psalm is to “wait patiently” for the Lord. I will not forget that God is with me right now. I’m not alone. God is at my side even when I experience disappointment and rejection, He knows my struggles and meets me. I’m not just waiting for God, I am waiting with God.
We are believing for God’s Presence to be alive within you each moment!
Love
Audrey (for both of us)