Be Still, His Answer Is Coming

Hebrews 12:1 tells us to "run with endurance" the race set before us. George Matheson wrote, "We commonly associate patience with lying down. We think of it as the angel that guards the couch of the invalid. Yet there is a patience that I believe to be harder -- the patience that can run.

To lie down in the time of grief, to be quiet under the stroke of adverse fortune, implies a great strength; but I know of something that implies a strength greater still: it is the power to work under stress; to have a great weight at your heart and still run; to have a deep anguish in your spirit and still perform the daily tasks. It is a Christ-like thing!

The hardest thing is that most of us are called to exercise our patience, not in the sickbed but in the street." To wait is hard, to do it with "good courage" is harder!  - Our Daily Bread,

How many of you are presently waiting for God to step into your current situation and improve it? I can't see you but I'm pretty sure there's a good amount of raised hands out there.

Perhaps there's a problem that you have been wrestling with, and begging for resolution, but to no avail. Or a person in your life who needs help in some way, but you're at an impasse as to what you can, or should do. You've been praying faithfully and consistenly to God for assistance or an answer; but you get nothing.

Waiting on the Lord may be one of the hardest attributes of being a Christian. When Jesus promised that he'd return, he instructed his followers to wait. Of course, we all know that this is easier said than done. That being said, what do we do in the interim? What do we do while we wait?

Our modern society is based on the "now." Instant gratification rules the day. We, in general, don't like to wait for anything. We alone are responsible for creating this "express-lane" lifestyle.

For the most part, when everything works smoothly our lives move along relatively trouble-free. However, if there's a glitch, or a hiccup in the system, that's when the wheels fall off. Most of us don't know what to do in crisis mode.

This becomes even more evident when problems stymie or confront us, We are told to pray, pray, pray. Sadly, for many the only time that we remember the word "pray" is during times of duress. This in turn leads to confusion and frustration when God doesn't answer us immediately. In this case, we really don't understand prayer.

Lucky for us, the Bible has some excellent advice pertaining to this. Here are a few selections from Scripture: Psalm 62:5 tells us to wait silently for God. Isaiah 8:17 suggests that we wait upon the Lord. Hebrews 12:1 says to lay aside our weight (burdens) and sins; and run (perform) with patience.

As you can see, the pattern that is set before us is to wait and be patient. We should also be still (Exodus 14:14; Psalm 46:10). We should wait for God's answer. This means that even though our world may be falling apart around us; you and I need to be still and wait for God. He will answer. God never breaks His promises.

Although, it may be extremely difficult, and not at all like your character, you must learn patience and respect while waiting for His answer. The timing and method of God's response is totally up to Him. There's not a thing we can do to change, or speed up His response. But know this, He always responds with true love and mercy for us; always and in all ways.

Author George Macdonald put it well when he said: "He may delay because it would not be safe to give us at once what we ask: we are not ready for it. To give ere we could truly receive, would be to destroy the very heart and hope of prayer, to cease to be our Father. The delay itself may work to bring us nearer to our help, to increase the desire, perfect the prayer, and ripen the receptive condition."

I firmly believe that when we wait for God's response to our questions in all matters we will get nothing less than His best for our circumstance. He knows exactly what we need, when we need it. Therefore, be patient, be still, and wait for God. His answer is coming...

Scripture: Psalm 27:13-14; James 5:7-8; Psalm 33:20-22; James 5:11; Isaiah 64:4

Prayer: Dear Father, help me learn to be patient and still as I wait for Your gracious reply to my petitions. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Becca