By Nicole West
Stormrider Introduction:
A fellow stormrider would like to share a word on waiting. This is truly a great word as it speaks to what, we think, a lot of people are going through right now. Thanks to Nicole for blessing and edifying all of us with this Holy Spirit filled message.
Right now I am facing some serious challenges in my job. Challenges that cause me to question God and myself (come on let’s not get too spiritual and act like we don’t question God!) – did I make the right decision? Am I where I need to be? Did I hear Him right? Each morning seems to be another climb as I struggle to get up and go into that office yet again. Don’t be deceived – I am grateful for the job and the paycheck, but my heart feels so unfulfilled. Oh, but in the midst of my tears (yes, sobbing, snotty-nosed, red-eyed tears!!), I can hear the voice of God through the revelation of His word:
I ask: “Lord, why am I here? How is this where I am supposed to be?”
“…you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things,” the Lord responds
“Okay, well if this is part of your plan, then what do you expect from me while I am in this uncomfortable situation? This is so hard, and in my opinion completely unnecessary!” I say.
Again, He responds, His voice filled with peace and pure love, “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” Furthermore, He adds, “they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
My heart jumps when I think about how thoroughly he loves me and that He would guide my path and comfort me with His word and increase my faith muscle when I begin to falter. In my situation, God has ministered to me and told me through his Word, through sermons over the past couple weeks,and through praying in the spirit, that I must wait.But what does God require of us when we wait?Often when we think of the word wait, we think of the passive passing of time. Counting minutes, hours, days or months until “something” happens. For some of us, we wait impatiently for the Lord to give us a wife or husband, for others it’s a new job, for others maybe it’s peace, and for me, as I’ve said, it’s waiting to understand why I am in this job and in this city. Either way, God puts the word wait in the Bible more times than I have time to count – so He must think it’s important!
So what does it mean to wait? Look at the following scriptures…
Psalm 119:166
I wait for your salvation, O LORD, and I follow your commands.
1 Corinthians 1:4-9 (New International Version)
4I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge— 6because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. 7Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. (emphasis mine)
Dear friend, the Lord commands us to wait as He works His mighty hand in our lives. But this doesn’t mean that we sit back and kick it, living in sin or ignoring the power of our gifts through the Holy Spirit. It means that we fervently seek him, follow His holy commands, and use our spiritual gifts as evidence of our love for Him.
Let’s promise to run toward Him – the only One we should be running toward - our hearts waiting patiently, trusting in His perfect will. Let’s expect that we will be strengthened. Let’s claim forcefully and unrelentingly the promises of God because He said it. Let’s wait actively and not passively. Thank you, Jesus!
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