Waiting for God’s Timing

Waiting for God’s Timing

Winter is not my favorite season. But I’ve learned to appreciate it and to see it as a necessary part of life. Waiting is not my favorite thing, either. But I’ve learned to appreciate it and to see it as a necessary part of the renewal process.

But God’s not finished. He’s waiting around to be gracious to you.
He’s gathering strength to show mercy to you.
God takes the time to do everything right—everything. 

Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones. 
(Isaiah 30:18, MSG)

Waiting is indeed hard. It’d be so much easier to do something. But busywork is not the answer for waiting. Something does not substitute for the right thing. Waiting might get a bit easier when we figure out that waiting does not mean laziness. Actually, waiting is hard work. It takes strength to hold strength back until it is God’s time to for us to start blooming.
 
G. Campbell Morgan has said “waiting for God is not going to sleep. Waiting for God is not the abandonment of effort. Waiting for God means, first, activity under command; second, readiness for any new command that may come; third, the ability to do nothing until the command is given.”

It is also helpful to understand that God’s delays are not God’s denials. Actually, God’s delays mean he has something better in store for us. But, yes, God’s timing is very often different than ours. The winter might seem to last too long. If you are not certain whether it is the right time to take action, wait. If you hesitate or have any doubts, wait. Don’t go against restraint in your spirit, God is telling you to wait. Wait until the Spirit urges you to move on.

Timing is so important. T.D. Jakes underlines the necessity of waiting on God’s timing this way: “If you are going to be successful in dance, you must be able to respond to rhythm and timing. It’s the same in the Spirit. People who don’t understand God’s timing can become spiritually spastic, trying to make the right things happen at the wrong time. They don’t get His rhythm – and everyone can tell they are out of step. They birth things prematurely, threatening the very lives of their God-given dreams.” That’s why I wholeheartedly agree with Samuel Rutherford: “I will charge my soul to believe and wait for Him, and will follow His providence, and not go before it, nor stay behind it.”

But me, I’m not giving up.
   I’m sticking around to see what God will do.
I’m waiting for God to make things right.
   I’m counting on God to listen to me.

 (Micah 7:7, MSG)

Do you want to be a pilgrim soul, like G. Campbell Morgan call those who wait for God and who have no tie that will hold him/her when the definite command of God is issued? Who has no prejudices that will paralyze his/her effort when s/he is commanded to take a pathway entirely different to that which was his/her before? Who has no interests either temporal or eternal, either material or mental or spiritual, that will conflict with the will of God when that will is made known? Very high goals! Worth of pursuing! Worth of waiting!

Gracious God,
You are an amazing God.
You continue to awe us.
We want to serve you.
We want to wait for you.
Give us patience to do nothing
when it’s time to do nothing.
Give us strength to act 
when it’s time to act.
May your will happen in our lives.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Q4U: Do you like winter? Do you like waiting? How do you deal with them? 
Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you continue on your soul pilgrim path. May God show you when to act, when to wait, when to proceed. 
This post is part of One Word at a Time: Winter Blog Carnival. Check out the other posts!
Photo courtesy of Brendan Sceroler

15 thoughts on “Waiting for God’s Timing

  1. Thank you for your words — I do not enjoy waiting yet He continues to teach me to do just that – even calling me His impatient hare.

    There is a time to move and a time to be still and we are wise to listen for His Spirit to identify which is which.

  2. I liked the scripture you selected from Micah; But me, I'm not giving up. I'm sticking around to see what God will do.
    Winter is not a time to give up and your post says it so well!

  3. HisFireFly,
    Thank you so much for sharing your waiting experiences. God bless you, sister!

  4. Thank you, Hazel, for your feedback. Yes, let's cling onto the joyous hope of spring & SONshine! Blessings!

  5. your illustration of using the dance helped me to see the slow and fast, the waiting and going, as part of the whole dance and song.

  6. So beautiful.

    Winter and waiting are not my favorite things either. But I also see the value in both. “God’s delays are not God’s denials.” That makes waiting easier when I think of it like that… Thanks for sharing.

  7. Nance Marie,
    Thanks for chiming in! Yes, dancing with God is exhilarating. We just need to say 'yes' to God's invitation and trust his leading. God bless you!

  8. Lisa,
    Thank you so much for commenting. We need all the support and wisdom we can get when we are waiting. God bless you richly!

  9. Thanks for the interesting Blog post. It caused me to do some soul searching.

    Winter is cold and bitter. It communicates barrenness, and discomfort. Waiting summons one to stay with an expectant attitude. We will encounter both, winter and waiting in this life. We can rest in God, expecting Him to answer us and He will in due time. Sometimes His answer is yes, sometimes His answer is no and sometimes it is wait.

  10. Carrie,
    Thank you so much! I'm delighted that I caused you some soul searching. Even that is not always comfortable but usually the gain is far beyond our imagination. Like new life & spring! God's best blessings to you!

  11. That is wonderful content material. I'll surely always be running a blog as well as commenting on all of this. Exactly what I believed i was seeking.

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