“Wait for and confidently expect the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for and confidently expect the Lord.”
Psalm 27:14 AMP
“It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness. The Lord is my portion or share says my living being (my inner self); therefore will I hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him. The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him, to those who seek Him [inquire of and for Him and require Him by right of necessity and on the authority of God’s word]. It is good that one should hope in and wait quietly for the salvation (the safety and ease) of the Lord.”
Lamentations 3:22-26 AMPC
Grace Perspective:
In the passage from Psalms, King David reminds himself to wait for God with strong confidence. He tells his heart to take courage as he waits on the LORD even when fearful. At the beginning of the Psalm, David tells us that even though enemies surround him, he will not fear because the king is confident that the LORD hears his prayers. David is willing to wait for the LORD to act, trusting that God’s timing is perfect.
In the following passage, the prophet Jeremiah wrote these words after waiting years for the Lord to work out His salvation for the people Jeremiah loved. Jeremiah was a prophet to the people of Judah, who had forsaken God and started hiding idols in His temple. Jeremiah lived in a time filled with war, pestilence, and famine. He suffered unjust imprisonment, distress, despair, and fear.
At one point, Jeremiah found himself thrown into a muddy pit because he warned the people of the coming destruction of Jerusalem. (See Jeremiah 38) Lamentations 3 reveals what the prophet was feeling as he waited for God to deliver him out of the pit. At the beginning of this chapter, Jeremiah felt the sting of doubt and disbelief as he tried desperately to hang onto the truth that God had not abandoned him. He cried out for God to answer him yet felt God had turned a deaf ear to his prayers. In the darkness, Jeremiah continued to pour out his grief, doubt, and fears to the Lord. He confessed his sin as he laid his heart completely bare before God. And the Lord heard.
In verse 22, there is a change in Jeremiah’s heart. He turns his thoughts to what he knows to be true, “It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed….” Jeremiah turned his heart in hope towards the Lord, seeking the comfort of mercy and grace. The prophet found peace, knowing God did hear his prayer and that God would eventually provide a way out of the pit. Jeremiah chose to trust the Lord as he waited hopefully, expectantly, and quietly for the Lord’s timing. (Read all of Jeremiah 38 to see how the story ends)
Both David and Jeremiah were surrounded by enemies. People who wanted to hurt them and thoughts in their minds that wanted them to doubt God’s love. They were honest in what was going through their thoughts and counseled their hearts to trust the LORD and show us how to graciously wait for God with confident courage and hope.
A Touch of Grace:
What doubts, fears, anxieties are surrounding you?
What is the hardest part of waiting for you?
Where do you turn for comfort as you wait?
Grace Application:
God was with David when enemies surrounded him and Jeremiah in the dark muddy pit. David and Jeremiah found comfort as they remembered that God was with them as they waited. David spoke truth to his heart, confidently expecting God to give him strength. Though Jeremiah “felt” abandoned by God, after a time of pouring out his grief, doubt, and fears, he turned his heart to what he knew to be the truth. God never abandons His children.
But waiting is hard, especially when we are suffering. Like David and Jeremiah, we are wise to look inward at our hearts to see who we trust as we wait. Although it may be true that others’ choices may cause our suffering, our response to the affliction is telling. Our reaction to being surrounded by enemies or being pushed into a pit reveals what we believe about God. Thankfully the Lord is patient and will wait with us as we sift through the chaos of our thoughts and cry out to Him in prayer. Not neat, tidy prayers but heart-rending prayers that reveal the depth of pain and anguish we are experiencing. God understands all those feelings.
Remember the Garden of Gethsemane? The Lord knows from personal experience what we feel. He endured the cross because He knew that it was the only way for us to be redeemed. He trusted the Father’s plan even when it caused pain. Jesus was patient as He endured the punishment for our sin. He waited expectantly, and hopefully, knowing the Father’s plan would bring salvation for all who trust in Him. That’s why we have hope.
Beautiful friend, I don’t know where you are today. You may be like David, surrounded by enemies like doubt, fear, or unbelief. Or, like Jeremiah, you may have been thrust into a pit by others or the unforeseen trials. But, no matter where you are, you are not alone if you are in Christ. God is at work through the circumstances. You can trust Him as you wait because He is merciful, gracious, and faithful to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him. So, like David, encourage your heart to be strong and know that LORD will be with you in the gracious waiting.
Prayer:
Gracious Father, I come to You in the precious name of Jesus Christ, thankful that You are with me as I wait. My heart is encouraged when I remember that Your mercies are new every morning and Your compassion never fails. Forgive me when I allow the enemies of doubt, fear, and unbelief to rule my mind. Help me wait with confident expectation, knowing that You will give me strength to wait patiently as You work in me and through me for Your purposes and Your glory. Amen.
**Today, as you read this, I pray that you will know for sure you are in Christ Jesus. If you have any doubts, please call out to God so that all doubt is erased. Today is a good day to be assured of Salvation in Christ Jesus. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me at graceisdawning@gmail.com**