If God’s ways are “perfect,” then we can trust … You may have to get “in the water” first, before you start to see results. If we aren’t careful, we’ll think He’s uncaring or mad at us. What God does in us while we wait is as important as what it is we are waiting for. It’s in the act of obeying God that we will hear His voice clearer for our specific life situations. We must believe that God is able to do what He promised. Waiting strategically can cultivate good fruit in in our lives such as patience, perseverance, and endurance. Hearing God – Are You Sure You Want to Know His Will? Being Still Doesn't mean doing nothing. Have expectation Believe that God will reward your effort. Often times we only want God’s blessing, but aren’t willing to wait on His timing. Dedicated Online Academy to Biblical Application for the Everyday. Those are the important questions addressed in Pastor John’s sermon on Isaiah 64:1–4, a sermon … https://churchplants.com › articles › 19712-waiting-on-god.html God, the Creator of time, is not limited by time. Even though we are redeemed, we must not ignore the Holy Spirit. Does waiting for God mean that we don’t act? Take initiative towards change you know you should or hope to make. The same is true in our lives. But we need to keep waiting on God and trusting Him with a sweet and simple faith. Believe that you will receive what you are seeking. When we are waiting on Him to act, He has already acted. Waiting, biblical waiting, is not a passive waiting around for something to happen that will allow us to escape our troubles. We wait, without understanding why. Have expectation Believe that God will reward your effort. Yes, wait for the Lord’ (Psalm 27:11 & 14). We must be led by Him and we must allow Him to direct and help us. It is a place where life is put on hold. The verse doesn’t mean you don’t have an assignment. It means that you're patient with your faith in doing something. We also need to hear from Him regarding the length of time we, as individuals must put in to pull down His manifest presence. We must be sure of what we hope for and what we do not see. Jun 28, 2015 - Waiting does not mean doing nothing. Believe that you will receive what you are seeking. Hoping against hope could actually be a defense system to keep us from doing the hard work of growing. God uses waiting to change us. They are huge things with eternal significance: Are you waiting for the right thing? Waiting is the process of becoming what God wants us to be. Do what you’re supposed to do! Take initiative towards change you know you should or hope to make. But is that what it means to wait on the Lord? Those who do not know the Lord will not wait on Him; neither will those who fail to trust Him. Sometimes we find ourselves in such horrible messes that it's hard to imagine waiting one more second. God wants us to know that waiting is far from a passive activity in which we do nothing. No one I know personally is waiting for insignificant things from God — I am not waiting for insignificant things from God! Do you want a successful church? We must be sure of what we h Waiting is so hard, and maybe there’s a relationship at your fingertips that promises to take that loneliness away. Those who wait on the Lord do not lose heart in their prayers: “This is … We must realize that we cannot have success without the Holy Spirit. You’re waiting and praying but nothing’s changing and there’s little reason to believe it will. Jul 23, 2014 - WAIT: Waiting on God doesn't mean we're doing nothing, it's about allowing God to do His thing. To wait means to trust God… In Joshua 3, the priests had to get in the water before it started to part. Using the details of Joseph's life, some of the topics addressed include: Your Ultimate DIY Guide To Mobile Church Equipment, Waiting On God Doesn’t Mean You Do Nothing. Waiting on God is not like waiting in a long line at an amusement park. Copyright © 2021 • ChurchPlants.com, All rights reserved. If He really has heard our prayers. This steadfastness is waiting. Nothing is changing. We fret, we moan and groan, we withdraw or run from the problem. Does it mean sitting back and doing nothing? Waiting on the Lord is the sum of depending on God and subjecting our will to His terms and timing. Waiting is something that is only possible within time. Waiting does not mean doing nothing. Believe that you will receive what you are seeking. One person might be instructed by the Holy Spirit to put in three hours a day or at midnight and one person might be required to put in a total of five hours a day and three hours at midnight. If you need a little nudge, allow me to say it’s OK to seek another step towards change. Waiting does not mean we do nothing! Psa. God’s Concept of Time Is Nothing Like Ours. 10 Know the plans "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." In the Gospels we see this happening to Mary and Martha while they are waiting on Jesus to come and heal their brother, Lazarus. You’re waiting and praying but nothing’s changing and there’s little reason to believe it will. The opposite of waiting and resting by faith is turning to our solutions of self-protection because of anger, fear, and jealousy. It takes faith to trust in God because trusting Him doesn’t mean I am going to get what I want when I want it. The psalmist tells us, “As for God, His way is perfect” (Psalm 18:30). What Does "Wait on the Lord" Mean? I wait for You all the day long’ (Psalm 25:4 & 5). #fiercelyHis #waitingonGod Click To Tweet. Waiting on the Lord does not mean to do nothing. To put it simply, it all boils down to where your power comes from. James 1:4 says, "Let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." ENTER YOUR EMAIL FOR TIPS ON HOW TO HAVE A THRIVING CHURCH! We must be sure of what we hope for and what we do not see. Inactivity rarely produces anything. Trusting Him means that I believe God will provide when the timing is right. 37:9 For evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land. Does it mean sitting back and doing nothing? All the while, our eyes should be peering out to see God's work and guidance. If you are in a time of waiting – even waiting on God – that doesn’t always mean there is nothing for you to do. If we are willing to trust on God’s best, nothing else will look good. Then, in a way we never could've figured out—God moves suddenly! So how do we wait for God? We live in a society where often the assumption is that marriage is normal and singleness is not. Waiting on the Lord involves the confident expectation of a positive result in which we place a great hope. Being Still Doesn't mean doing nothing. Introduction The waiting room, a land where time seemingly stands still. When you are in a time of waiting on God – Do what you know to do today. Sometimes God is Waiting on Us. We must believe that God is able to do what He promised. He enjoys our company in the place of prayer. July 30, 2013. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation. Maybe you feel a legitimate longing for intimacy. To wait does not mean you just sit around doing nothing, it means to look forward and look for eagerly. He was in a time of waiting, yet He continued to act on what He could do. We must be confident of who God is and what He is capable of doing. You don’t hear from Him. Waiting on God means going without answers to prayer, wondering why the wicked seem to prosper, and having desires delayed and hope deferred. If He really does have a plan for our lives. God Works While We Wait. We are to continue with step 1, doing our part, and in God's time He will do His part. The fact of the matter is that I can sit and wait for a leprechaun to come knocking on my front door with a pot of gold but just because I am waiting for that to happen does not make it true, it does not mean that it is going to happen, nor does it mean that what I am waiting for is of God. I rebel against the idea that says to “wait on the Lord” means we do nothing, sitting around and twiddling our … Waiting upon the Lord does not mean we are to sit and do nothing; it means we are to be patient, and stay in faith to allow him to bring pass what he is … 9 Principles for waiting on God Step 3. ... Of course, apart from the grace of God we can do nothing, but God seems to respect us too much to do everything for us without our effort and involvement. Unpacking the Old Testament story of Joseph, Waiting on God: What to Do When God Does Nothing will show you how to find purpose in your season of waiting. Maybe you’re single. It means looking back on God’s faithfulness and while in your current situation, you look forward for Him to be faithful as He was. There are few things more frustrating than feeling like your prayers are just bouncing off the sky. "Waiting On God" is a great title for anyone needing encouragement to lean and depend on God during a trying time of waiting. Waiting on God It is Not Doing Nothing – Psalm – 25 – The recurring theme of this psalm is “Waiting on God.” Waiting on God is the way to receive from Him all the blessings that He wants to give you. Waiting On God ‘Teach me Your ways O Lord, lead me on a straight path because of my enemies … Wait for the Lord; be brave and let your heart take courage. No one I know personally is waiting for insignificant things from God — I am not waiting for insignificant things from God! If you need a little nudge, allow me to say it’s OK to seek another step towards change. What God does in us is always more important than what we are waiting for. Often times your circumstances can’t change because God needs to change something in you. Something actually happens while nothing is happening. We want to know God's plan so that we can trust it--but God so often hides his plan so that we will trust him. Psa. This reminds me of my experience about waiting on God. Waiting means I must trust that God knows what he’s doing. Perhaps this is why the Bible talks so much about waiting. Sometimes it means moving forward in only ways we know are led by God, and sometimes it means continuing only in the activity He has blessed thus far. Avoid double mindedness like “He loves me, He loves me not” and “He will do it, He will not do it”. https://churchplants.com/articles/19712-waiting-on-god.html Tell the Israelites to move on.” In other words…get going! Waiting always includes time and patience. In fact, Scripture teaches us that God wants us to actively participate in the work he desires to accomplish. This expectation is based on knowledge of and trust in God. God has not changed, so we need to hear from the Holy Spirit regarding how much time we need to spend with Him to be successful and effective in prayer. When we wonder if He really does know what He’s doing. Having faith while waiting on God means you believe there is nothing God can’t do! God uses waiting to change us.” How Church Planters Can Be Rich Toward God, Your 8-Point Checklist for Pastoral Body Care. ), but I could find nothing in either my KJ or NSV > Bibles that had anything to correlate to it. 9 Principles for waiting on God Step 3. Jesus prayed all night long and Paul and Silas got up and midnight to sing praises, and the glory of God manifested. In fact, waiting can actually be a positive good that he often uses to make us more like his Son. I am not suggesting you try to force things, especially when you are waiting on God. Plus, a good season of wait develops patience and character, but often when I do what I already know to do the destination becomes clearer to me, God unfolds a next step, and I feel I am at least making some progress. You will get a glimpse, if only for a moment, that the grand redemptive arc of God does not need to point solely in your direction. Here you can learn how to do it. Waiting is really hard when we have a lack of faith in our God. Be willing to be changed yourself, and you may begin to see the breakthrough. Spending time with God is vital. And when do we stop waiting and start acting? God wants us to know that waiting is far from a passive activity in which we do nothing. It’s so easy for us to lay blame on God and say, ”Well I just feel like I need to wait on God,” or “I’m waiting on God for the answer.” When in reality, it’s just an excuse to do nothing … What did Isaiah mean when he wrote those words: “wait upon the Lord”? So here’s a list of four things we can do when God says “wait.” 1. The Holy Spirit is our Helper, Leader and Director. Believe that God will reward your effort. If you’re waiting for a new career opportunity, for example, polish up your resume, make some networking connections, take a class to develop new skills, or read books in the field in which you hope to explore or grow. Waiting means claiming God’s promises by faith and resting in what God is doing in our lives so we can faithfully follow God’s principles and keep His values, priorities, and pursuits. It is not fatalistic resignation. Waiting on God doesn’t mean a time of doing nothing. He continued carrying out His Father’s work as He was sent to do. Avoid double mindedness like “He loves me, He loves me not” and “He will do it, He will not do it”. God’s presence becomes your deliverance and not simply an entitlement. An eagle rises to great heights, but has no jet engine behind him. > > I'm not sure what you would call this theology (batshit insane > consumptionist? “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. No, we are to choose to believe that even in the hardest moments of waiting on God, he can transform it into his good, … 2. “There is actually something happening while nothing is happening. Enter your email below to get tips on how to get your church to thrive! Avoid double mindedness like “He loves me, He loves me not” and “He will do it, He will not do it”. What would it feel like to have eagles’ wings at a time like this? He is the Boss here on earth. In fact, Scripture teaches us that God wants us to actively participate in the work he desires to accomplish. ‘Show me your ways O Lord; teach me your paths. God has a greater perspective of life’s events, and His perspective, plans, and schedules are perfect and holy, because He is perfect and holy. God's timing is not our own. That is His position. You can’t put new wine into old wineskin, it’ll never hold (Matt 9:17). It’s an important time; a time to demonstrate obedience and patience; a time to pray, a time to lift up others, and a time to praise God. You feel the pain of that stigma. When you are in a time of waiting on God – Do what you know to do today. But God rarely does things according to our timeframe, and because of this we can easily get discouraged. Many of us would rather sit on our hands and wait for an angelic visitation with instructions from Heaven … They wasted a lot of time wondering about God's timing, but God never failed to take care of them and show them what He wanted them to do. God does not call us to brush off the painful, raw, and emotional aspects of waiting, pretending that to have faith in God we must ignore our heart. Waiting on God is about actively seeking Him and doing His will. What can we do in the meantime as we are waiting for an answer, a change, or a miracle? Nehemiah 4:9 says, But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night…” They were depending on God, but they did what they knew made sense to do at the time. He will guide you, teach you, protect you and deliver you. It doesn’t mean doing nothing. It doesn’t mean the assignment you have won’t be difficult. God loves to work for those who wait for him. It was many years after I received my call from God in February of 1976 before I finally began to see major fulfillment of what God had called me to do. We have all experienced a disconnect between God's promises to us and our everyday reality. 10 Things to Do While You’re Waiting on God. (Jeremiah 29:11,) In his mind, nothing is wrong with waiting. In John 2:4, Jesus said, “My time has not yet come”. Joseph’s life shows us the startling truth that sometimes when we think we are waiting on God, He is actually waiting on us. Are we waiting on God, or is He waiting on us? Have faith that God has a plan. In fact, it might be God is waiting for you to do so. When Jesus finally shows up, He is accused of taking too long. We need to hear from Him regarding how best to pray due to uniqueness in our individual makeups and circumstances. Using one of my personal favorite Bible characters - Joseph (also happens to be my middle name) - Stiles challenges and encourages the reader to not give up on God since He did not give up on us. Consider the next verse: Exodus 14:15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? 27:14 Wait for the Lord; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord. Hoping against hope could actually be a defense system to keep us from doing the hard work of growing. If God answered right away, many of us would be ill-prepared to handle His solution. I heard it pretty > hadn't used, that God would be pissed we hadn't used all of His gifts > to us and nobody would go to Heaven. 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