Devotional Week 4 by Josephine L.
Time is money, time is precious and we want to be efficient with it. These days, it seems like we have way too much of it. Yet, with all the time on our hands, there is still that struggle of being patient. The older I get, the more I realize that we live in a world where we feel the need to be doing something every minute, every second of our days. We’re afraid of being bored and we hate waiting. We live in a culture of fast-food, fast-fashion, immediate answers, quick responses. Now more than ever, YOU may be in a season of waiting. When God tells us to wait. To be patient. You might be waiting for an answer, a decision, a college acceptance, finances, community,…or like the rest of the world, simply waiting for COVID-19 to be over.
In Ps. 40, David illustrates for us what it feels like to be waiting, what it looks like to wait on the Lord, and why He calls us into a space of waiting.
Read: Psalm 40:1-3
Sometimes it feels like we are in a miry bog, a pit of destruction (v. 2). It’s hard and we can feel helpless or hopeless. David shows us in this passage that waiting patiently isn’t trying to climb out of the pit. It’s calling out to the Lord, and he inclines to us and draws us out (v. 1). Not only does the Lord draw us out, but He sets our feet on our rock and puts a new song in our mouths. Being stuck in a pit of destruction and waiting on the Lord provides us the opportunity to gain perspective and receive a greater reward in praise to our God.
I’ve found that sometimes God is CALLING and ASKING us to wait. And when he does, the goal isn’t to get things done as quickly as possible, or to fast-track all of our goals. A lot of time we are called to wait for finances, to wait for an answer, for community, for provision. God calls us into this space of waiting for several reasons:
To transform us and build character
To build intimacy & dependency with God
To partner with God and receive the great reward
Reflect:
In what area of your life are you having to wait and be patient? How does it affect your thoughts and actions?
What are some challenges that come with having to wait?
Think of a time where you had to be patient. How did God use it to build your character? What were your feelings? How were you rewarded?
Look at the way David invited God into his season of waiting. How can you let God be a part of your season fo waiting?
What can you do in this season as we are waiting out COVID-19?
Prayerful Action:
Read through the rest of Psalm 40, and pay attention to the ways that David praises the Lord. This is an example of how we can respond to situations which God calls us to wait. He is transforming us, and when we look back at our lives and see all that He has done, we will see His sovereignty and faithfulness.
Invite the Lord into seasons where your patience is being tested, and ask Him to reveal areas which He is calling you to wait.
