"Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)

"It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD." (Lamentations 3:26)

Patiently waiting. Fervently seeking. Relentlessly trusting. All phrases which are easier said than done. Who knew a time of waiting on direction could be such a monumental trial of faith, patience, obedience and literally everything else?

There are myriad times throughout scripture the Lord asks His people to wait on Him and to be at peace because He's got it covered. Story after story ends with the Lord's full-blown plan playing out right before the peoples' eyes, and relief and joyful faith soon follow because of His faithfulness. It is such a sweet reminder to see the Lord provide in scripture, but we typically skip over the trial part and the Lord's request for waiting because, let's be honest, it's a bummer.

No matter the trial — cancer diagnosis, new job, moving, losing a friendship, making a tough decision for the betterment of another person — the Lord has a track record with asking us to wait for Him to move, which, in my opinion, makes waiting the greatest trial of all.

We live in a culture in which everything needs to be directed, planned out and organized by us. If we don't take action immediately, nothing will ever get done. We are busy and stressed. As humans, we have the mindsets that we are independent, we can handle things on our own and we need results ASAP (so fast that we can't even take the time to fully say "as soon as possible").

Job (pronounced Jobe) is a perfect example in scripture of an individual tried by many things, but the most horrific trial was the waiting. He lost his family, his possessions, livestock, money; but he continually pursued the Lord in prayer and faith, knowing that through being tested "he would come out as gold." (Job 23:10) Waiting on the Lord to answer his pleas was not easy for Job, and nothing is new under the sun, as the saying goes.

The fact is, the Lord knows it is hard for us to wait. He knows being patient in waiting on Him to answer our prayers and to give us the green light in the trials of life are difficult tasks for our feeble hearts to manage. But He loves us SO much, He allows it. Through the trial of waiting: faith is increased, our view of God is heightened, our shortcomings are highlighted, His grace is extended and experienced, and our discontentment is decreased.

Pastor and teacher Alistair Begg said it like this, "we are not pawns, we are participants." We are participants in the master plan of our provident Lord. He is in full control, but He allows us to be a part of what He is doing. Through every season of waiting, we are refined. Every day is a journey and an adventure with the Lord, and His intentions are always good because He is good.

There is a song by Bethel Music called "In Over My Head" that the Lord brought to my ears and engraved on my heart before I even knew a season of waiting and seeking was quickly on the horizon. (Sometimes I can't help but think the Lord had me in mind when He gently whispered to the lyric writers what to compose).

The first verse says (paraphrased) "I have come to this place in my life, I'm full but I'm not satisfied... I'm thirsty my soul can't be quenched, come and do whatever you want to." The second verse goes on to talk about tearing down the boxes we try to put the Lord in, and asks of the Lord to restore and take the writer back to the place where her heart was only concerned about Him.

Then comes the chorus. It reads like this (hang in there, this article is almost over):

Then you crash over me, and I've lost control but I'm free! I'm going under, I'm in over my head. And you crash over me, and that's where You want me to be. I'm going under, I'm in over my head.

Whether I sink, whether I swim. It makes no difference, when I'm beautifully in over my head. I'm beautifully in over my head.

There are doubts that constantly rage in our minds about whether the Lord will come through in times of waiting. And trust me, I am the last person on earth to tell you waiting is anywhere near easy. But, we can cling to this hope: He never changes, He is always faithful, and He rewards those who endure the trial of waiting.

Whether we sink or whether we swim. It makes no difference because our loving Lord will come and crash over us -even through trials and seasons of waiting — until we are beautifully in over our heads.