How do you feel about having to wait? Did you know that how we feel about waiting affects your relationship with God? What can we do to change our attitudes about waiting?
We are continuing our examination of the Life of Christ and others from the perspective of Living in a Crucible.
Symbolically, a crucible is the fiery trials we experience as we grow and develop.
Crucibles are painful, they are uncomfortable, and they hurt, but they are beneficial in developing our character.
Inviting the Holy Spirit’s Presence
Heavenly Father, you expect us to patiently wait on you. Yet, waiting is not easy when we feel the need for immediate response. Help us develop an attitude for waiting. In Jesus Name Amen.
Normally people are impatient when they must wait for the things they want or feel they really need right away. Even worst, we hate to have to wait for things we have been promised and still don’t have.
Satisfaction comes only when we get what we have been waiting for. But the thing is, how often do we get what we want when we want it. Never or rarely.
Because we are less likely to get what we want when we want it, waiting often puts us in a position of worry and feeling anxious. When we feel this way, it become difficult for us to feel at peace with God. It becomes almost impossible at these times to trust that he will take care of our needs.
But here is what Romans 15:4-5 says about patience and why we need it.
4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, (Romans 15:4-5)
Romans 15:4-5 offers to reason why we need patience.
- Through patience we gain hope
- Patience is a characteristic of God, and He expects us to be patient with one another, just like Jesus, who was also patient.
Even though God expects us to wait, waiting can be painful, and it is expected to be painful. For instance, one of the words for “wait patiently” (NKJV) in Psalm 37:7 can be translated to mean “to feel much pain,” “to shake,” “to be hurt,” “to be sad.” Learning to be patient is not easy.
it can even be more challenging when we are in the crucible.
The following scriptures help us better understand the benefits of patience
Psalms 27:14 lets us know that patience strengthen our heart, it strengthens our minds.
14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! (Psalms 27:14)
In Psalms 37:7 we see that patience is design to keep us from worrying about the prosperity of those who do evil.
7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. (Psalms 37:7)
And Romans 5:3-5 knowing that hope is a product of patience, we are assured that with patience we will not be disappointed.
3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance.
4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)
Therefore regarding waiting, the book Prophets and Kings says: to wait patiently, to trust in God when everything around us looks dark and dim, is the lesson that the people of God’s needs to learn. We can be assured that Heaven will not fail us in the day of our adversity.
It goes on to say: No one is apparently more helpless, yet really more invincible, than the soul that feels their nothingness and relies wholly on God.—Prophets and Kings, pp. 174, 175. Adapted
Listen at the advice given in the Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7 regarding waiting. The lessons that God sends will always, if well learned, bring help in due time. Put your trust in God. Pray much, and believe. Trusting, hoping, believing, holding fast the hand of Infinite Power, you will be more than conquerors.
True workers walk and work by faith.
Sometimes they grow weary with watching the slow advance of the work when the battle wages strong between the powers of good and evil. But if they refuse to fail or be discouraged they will see the clouds breaking away and the promise of deliverance fulfilling. Through the mist with which Satan has surrounded them, they will see the shining of the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness.
Work in faith, and leave results with God. Pray in faith, and the mystery of His providence will bring its answer. At times it may seem that you cannot succeed. But work and believe, putting into your efforts faith, hope, and courage. After doing what you can, wait for the Lord, declaring His faithfulness, and He will bring His word to pass. Wait, not in fretful anxiety, but in undaunted faith and unshaken trust.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, p. 245.
The thing is: While we wait, we can do but one of two things. We can focus our mind on things we are waiting for. Or we can focus on the One who holds those things in His hands.
The thing is, what makes the difference in our waiting is on what or whom we focus while we are waiting.
So, the difference in waiting has very little to do with how long we wait; it instead has a lot to do with our attitude while we are waiting.
The point is if we put our trust in God, if we place our lives in His hands, if we surrender our wills to Him, then we can trust that He will do what is best for us when it is best for us, no matter how hard it may get and how difficult it may get for us to sometimes believe.
In other words, waiting does not make us feel better. What helps us feel better is putting our trust in the one who holds everything in his hands. Trusting the Lord means putting our lives in His hands. When we give our lives to Jesus, we can trust that He will take care of us.
Is there something you are waiting for? How long have you been waiting for it? Look back to those times in the past when you have waited for him. Did he not come through for you? God always come through! Learn from your past experiences. Turn everything over to God and trust in Him? Pray and ask Him to change your attitude about waiting. Ask him to give you a new attitude composed of faith, patience, and complete trust in Him.
Still, some might say, but waiting is uncomfortable. I do not like it! It produces mental anguish. Why must we wait?
Find out in Day 3: In God’s Time
From the Sabbath School Adult Bible Study Guide 2022 Quarter 3: Sabbath.School
See also Hope Sabbath School and 3ABN Sabbath School
