Be patient. Two words that hold so much meaning.
Patience is one thing many of us struggle with. Whether we are waiting in line at the store, waiting for a test grade, waiting for the big day, or waiting for an answer, we are all waiting. Why are so much of our lives consumed with this waiting? Why do we struggle so much trying to be patient? What can we do while we wait?
Jesus said, in Isaiah 40:31, "but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."
There's the key – waiting on the Lord.
So many times, in our daily walk with Christ, we become impatient and aggravated. We want an answer immediately. We want to know what His plan for our life is. But read the first portion of that verse again: "but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength." Being patient and waiting for His perfect timing will benefit us more in the long-term. If we wait on the Lord, He will provide us the strength we need to live out every day according to His plan.
However, we cannot wait for the Lord by just putting our lives on standby. We must also pursue Him in the process through prayer and through trusting Him with our whole heart. These two go hand in hand. By praying, our relationship with God grows closer and stronger. We learn to lean on Him in our times of troubles, and we learn to rejoice in Him when we have joyful moments and happy days. As we become closer to Him, we tend to trust His plan for us. We are more apt to trust that His answer is best for us, and that He will provide us with what we need. We will trust that His hand is in control of our lives, and no matter what may come our way, He is with us.
Joyce Meyer said, "Patience is not the ability to wait but how you act while you're waiting."
So, the next time you find yourself waiting on God for an answer, remember these three steps: pray, wait, trust. Remember, as you wait, dig deeper into God's Word so that you find yourself wrapped in His arms and surrounded by His love.
