Waiting on the Lord
Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
Isaiah 40:31
Weariness hit this morning, mixed with a smidgen of trepidation. This reaction surprised me because I really thought I was doing fine. Have you ever been reading God’s word when suddenly the verses spoke to you in a new, refreshing way? Or perhaps a pointed, convincing way? Or have you had those moments when God just seemed to wrap His loving arms around you, saying, “I got this,” and you knew with all certainty that He did. You knew you didn’t need to do anything but wait, so you let the tears flow.
Emotions from previous days bubbled like Pacific Ocean waves rumbling below the surface of Oregon’s Devils Churn, only to burst forth unexpectedly. Don and I had just returned from Colorado. Our planned three-night getaway was interrupted on the first morning: I experienced a TIA, transient ischemic attack, while coming down from a 12,000-foot mountain overlook. Suddenly, everything was wrong with my speech. I clearly saw letters and words in my mind, but they didn’t match the sounds coming from my mouth. I couldn’t make sense. Don quickly realized something was wrong; so did I. Since we had no cell phone signal, all he could do was drive down to Aspen Valley Hospital.
My speech! What? I’m verbal. I’m a writer. A teacher. A talker! Life’s “What ifs?” can easily consume us, can’t they? After I recovered my speech and settled into my “overnight hospital observation,” I mused to Don, “I wonder if I could have used sign language? I wonder if I could have written on paper?” I can’t imagine losing my ability to use words forever. I have a newfound empathy for people who have language in their minds but no means of communication. A bit of grieving swirls in my head just thinking about that possibility …
Yet, there is a bigger question: What does one do when life changes suddenly and the norm isn’t “the norm” anymore?
WAIT.
Lamentations 3:25 states, “The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.” How often did I ask our kids to “wait?” Wait to get out of bed on Christmas morning. Wait until the rain lets up before going outside. Wait while the cake is baking before having another snack. Wait until you are just a little older. Wait for me. Wait before making that decision. You know the drill.
Waiting isn’t a bad thing. Just like my children didn’t need to understand my requests—or even begin to like the waiting—I knew waiting was important for many reasons, and they didn’t always need to get it at first glance. I just hoped they would trust me because I loved them. The same with me; I can trust God for my future. I don’t need to know or understand what might happen next year, or even tomorrow. I need to trust the God who holds my future.
How about you? When do you need to shut off the questions, the demands for explanations, the clock-watching impatience, or the anxious heart? When are you behaving like an impatient child? Won’t you agree with me to “wait on the Lord?”
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
And in His word I hope.
Psalm 130:5
Where do you struggle in the waiting? What situations do you sense you need to give over to God? Where do you need to allow Him permission to replace your weakness with His strength?
Delve Deeper: Ask God to speak to you while reading the following verses related to waiting: Exodus 14:14, Psalm 33:20-22, Psalm 37:7, Psalm 62:5, Psalm 130:5—6. Close by meditating on Psalm 46:10.