Wait On You
Friday, September 11
Wait On You
But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
Depending on where you are in your spiritual journey, you may read the title of this devotional and roll your eyes. Wait? Again? You may be tired of waiting. Waiting for the miracle. Waiting for the phone call. Waiting for the diagnosis to change. Waiting for the door to open. Waiting for the dream to become reality. Waiting for God to deliver you from a dark place that seems to have lasted far too long. When we are in a season of waiting, it can sometimes feel like a punishment. We may wonder, “God, why haven’t You answered me yet?” But what if waiting isn’t punishment? Maverick City Music and Elevation Worship’s song Wait on You captures the heart of someone who has chosen to trust God in the waiting:
“I’m gonna wait on You
I’ve tasted Your goodness
I’ll trust in Your promise.”
Those words remind us that waiting becomes different when we remember who we are waiting on.
Isaiah tells us that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. That means the waiting season does not have to leave you weaker. When you wait with God, He can use the very season you wanted to escape to strengthen you for the journey ahead.
If you’re reading this today and you are in the middle of waiting, I want you to know that I understand how difficult it can be. When you have prayed the same prayer over and over again, waiting can feel like doing nothing. But you are doing something. Waiting on God is not passive. It is an act of faith. While you are waiting, God may be strengthening your character, deepening your faith, changing your perspective, and teaching you to depend on Him in ways you never would have learned if the answer had come immediately. While you’re waiting faithfully, your hope is growing. Your trust is deepening. Your relationship with God is becoming more intimate.
Maybe we should think of waiting on God less as sitting around until something happens and more as actively attending to God, listening for His voice, watching for His movement, and remaining aware of His presence in our lives and in the world around us. God is still working even if you cannot see it yet.
And remind yourself: “I’ve tasted Your goodness. I’ll trust in Your promise. I’m gonna wait on You.”
Prayer for today: Lord, You know what I have been waiting for. You know the prayers I have prayed, the tears I have cried, and the moments when I have wondered if my situation will ever change. Waiting is not easy, Lord. There are days when I become discouraged. There are days when my faith feels strong, and other days when I struggle to see beyond what is happening right now. But today, I choose to wait on You. Strengthen my faith while I wait. Renew my hope when I become discouraged. Give me patience when I want answers now, and help me trust Your timing even when I don’t understand it. Open my eyes to see the ways You are already working in the big things and in the small things. Lord, I have tasted Your goodness, and I choose to trust Your promise. I’m gonna wait on You. In Jesus’ name, amen!