#68: Wait

Doctrinally, we know that the Lord is with us and will never forsake us. We know that He wants the best for us and will lead us in the right direction if we are yielded. But the hard part is to wait; to wait on the Lord to give us direction.

By definition, “wait” means to stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or until something else happens. This has to be one of the hardest things to learn as a Christian – to wait for the Lord.

The Israelites had to wait. Traveling through the wilderness, they had to keep their eye on the cloud that abode upon the tabernacle. When it moved, they moved. If it didn’t move, they didn’t move.

Numbers 9:18-19 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents. And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not.

I can imagine that it must have been difficult when the cloud “tarried long upon the tabernacle.” Each day they would wake up and look at the cloud. “Nope, no movement. I guess we just wait.” Day after day of waiting one might start to wonder if the “cloud” was just a cloud. When the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, it might have been easy to assume that the Lord was no longer present because of the absence of movement.

This conversation came at the perfect time in my life. We are having to make a major decision for our family and are needing some specific direction from the Lord. In light of no instant answer from the Lord, we have to wait. It is hard. I want to start planning but with no movement from the Lord, I have to wait.

There are times in our life where the Lord needs us to wait — wait until a particular time or until something else happens. Each day we wake up and nothing new from the Lord happens. We should not let this make us think the Lord has “left the cloud.” If you are in a time of your life where the Lord is having you wait, then wait. Watch and wait for Him to move. Know that He is still there when “nothing” is happening.

The Lord is showing me that I can’t rush the process or the Lord’s hand. He will move when He is ready. I should not be fooled into believing that He is no longer there just because I have not seen Him move. The devil would love to get me to believe that my God has left me and caused me to take matters into my own hands.

Psalm 62:1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.

Have you gotten tired of waiting for the Lord to move? Have you started to believe that He has left you? Are you faced with an impossible situation and you need to see the Lord, NOW!!?

In my conversation with the Lord, He had me consider the situation that Philip was placed in by the Lord Jesus. The Lord was surrounded by 5,000 hungry people.

John 6:5-7 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

I can imagine the feeling of sheer panic that Philip felt as he considered the task asked of him. The part of this passage that stood out to me was “…for he himself knew what he would do.” Jesus was in control. He knew exactly what He was going to do. Philip needed to be obedient.

This conversation could not have happened at a better time. It was exactly what I needed. I need to wait for the Lord. He knows what He is going to do in my situation. I do not want to create my own solution and miss God’s miracle.

Do you believe that this is true in your life? Do you believe that the Lord knows what He is going to do? If the Lord knows what He is going to do, then your job is to wait. Wait for the Lord to move and enjoy watching the miracle.