by Leon

We previously talked about the times of faith when God calls us to act. In the previous post, we read about how God told Abraham to leave the land he knew to seek out a place that would be shown to him. In this post, we will talk about how sometimes a call to action isn’t always movement. There are times when we need to be patient and wait on God.

We live in a generation where most of what we do is instantaneous. We can get our entertainment through television or our phones or games or the radio. We can get fast food, heat up pre-made food, open a can of tuna, whatever the case. We live in a society where convenience and haste are a priority. Because of that, we can sometimes find ourselves putting our relationship with God in jeopardy.

If we aren’t careful, we can often find ourselves rushing through prayer. We turn it into a chore rather than what it’s supposed to be: A direct conversation with your Heavenly Father. Let me ask you something – how would you feel if a friend called you on the phone and rushed through a conversation? You would probably feel like maybe they didn’t truly want to talk but did so out of obligation. You’re assuming that about the individual, but God can see the thoughts of our heart. We cannot hide our true intentions from Him

Now, I’m not saying every prayer needs to be lengthy. In fact, if you’re forcing yourself to say a lengthy prayer, you’ll find that you’re trying to buy your way into favor. No, I’m not saying it’s about length or time. It’s about intent and sometimes waiting to hear back. How often do we pray for an answer to something but never find the patience to wait on God for an answerback?

The Bible tells us those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. In Acts, after Jesus had risen from the dead, the apostles waited in Jerusalem on the Lord for a sign to move forward. Sometimes, we need to be like the apostles and wait. People often say inaction is an action, and that is true. Sometimes our inaction needs to be waiting on God for direction.

Often, we drain ourselves, constantly moving forward and falling in the wrong direction. We find out we made the wrong move or slipped up and that just wholly drains us. Remember, those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. Today – ask God if there is something, He wants to reveal to you. Ask Him to search you and guide you on a path that will glorify Him. God can act with haste, but He’s not in the business of convenience and haste like much of our society is.

If you’re looking for an answer about something important, consider waiting on God. You may be accustomed to haste but that’s not always how God works. Be patient, trust in Him, and let Him lead you in the right direction.