Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him (Psalm 37:7).
Why do we get impatient with God when we seemingly have no clear signal from Him?
On a recent trip, we were all buckled in and taxiing toward our runway. I have always been fascinated with watching take-offs and landings. So when we fly, I’m like a little kid looking out the window, hoping to see something closer than I can normally see it.
Approaching our runway, the plane engines throbbed. We were two or three planes from taking off, so my anticipation grew for our turn to hurtle toward that magical moment when we overcame gravity and soared skyward.
But we came to a complete stop before entering the runway. I knew there was no plane ahead of us as we were too close for that. We should be moving into place and throttling up! Yet we waited. And waited. Why are we just sitting here?!
Imagine my surprise when a huge airliner landed on our runway.
From where I sat, my vision and communication were limited. My impatience would have cost the lives of everyone on two sizable aircraft.
Learning to Wait on God
I’m grateful the pilot could see what I could not see. I’m grateful the communication between the pilot and the tower was clear. How wonderful to know he waited until the all-clear signal!
Although we hate waiting, we often must wait on God while He clears the path ahead. Even the prophet Isaiah explained the flight benefits of allowing God to clear the runways of our lives. “Those who wait on the Lord … shall mount up with wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31).
Waiting on God involves the choice between His perfect will and His permissive will. As One who sees “the end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10), God sees all airports, all runways, all flights, all flight crews, and all passengers. If we seek and wait for His perfect will, He sovereignly orchestrates all things well. But should we get impatient and “step out ahead of God” [also known as His permissive will], we often crash into something He didn’t intend for us (wrong person, wrong relationship, wrong job, wrong house, wrong church, wrong place, wrong position – everything is off).
After years of studying Scripture, I have yet to find any instruction to speed along at breakneck speed with reckless abandon. But there is plenty about waiting patiently on God, trusting His will, His timing, His way.
- “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14)
- “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry” (Psalm 40:1)
- “Be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain” (James 5:7)
- “Add to your faith …perseverance [patience]” (2 Peter 5-7)
Waiting on, trusting in, and obeying His perfect will protects us in the moment and prepares the way for next steps. Psalm 37 gives great instruction for the taxiways and runways of our lives.
Trust in the Lord, and do good. Delight yourself also in the Lord. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust also in Him. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Do not fret—it only causes harm. The steps of a good man are ordered [established] by the Lord.”
Okay, we’ve been cleared to take off! Here we go, resisting gravity, mounting up with wings like eagles!
Purchase Nate’s book, Called to Christlikeness, not Christianity here.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Nate Stevens.
Featured Image by Jan Vašek from Pixabay
SURRENDERED
YIELDING TO GOD’S PERFECT WILL
by NATE STEVENS
NEW RELEASE – NOW AVAILABLE!
CHRIST IN ME 30-DAY DEVOTIONAL SERIES
By NATE STEVENS
CLICK ON EACH BOOK TO LEARN MORE, DOWNLOAD A SAMPLE, OR BUY.
Comments are closed.