Pain in the Waiting

Reading: Psalm 37 & 38

"Wait for the Lord and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land." Psalm 37:34

Examination:

Waiting on the Lord does not imply that I just sit tight for a short period until I get what I want. David does not paint a picture of a journey on which the waiting comes easy. Waiting on the Lord is an active, exacting, and exhausting process. I see three traits of waiting that I need to remember.

Application:

I will see evil men prosper. That bears repeating, I will do things the right way and go without while I watch people do things the wrong way and see them find prosperity. When this occurs it is going to tempt me with hurt. It is going to tempt me to question God. It is going to tempt me with anger and envy. David warns me of these things and encourages me to not collapse into sin. Stand firm. Do not look up on the prosperity of the wicked and react to it. God settles things in His way and in His time. That is not my battle to fight.

I will see evil attack me unjustly. God is my rock, He is my fortress , but he is not my ticket down easy street. As long as I live in this world I will have trouble. Satan is a violent and persistent enemy. He will never rest until he has tried everything he can to take me down. David's warning here is to resist anger and cease from wrath for it will only lead more evil doing. God Himself will lift me up when the timing is right.

Finally, I have to stay faithful in doing the right things with an excellent spirit. I have to place my joy, hope and strength in my pursuit of a righteous God. I have to awaken each day and look only to Him for protection, for deliverance, for prosperity, and for provision. It is crazy to throw away my relationship with God over the evil done by other men.

Prayer:

Father when I take my eyes off of You I am tempted to look at the lives of others and find myself wanting in comparison. I use words like unjust, unfair, or unbelievable to describe my contempt and envy towards others. To You I confess this as sin.

Fair is not a value to which You hold. You are consistent, but never fair. If You were fair I would be in a world of trouble. If I play back the memories of my life, I do not have to watch very long to be reminded of the fact that You have treated me way better than I deserve. I gave You my filthy rags and You clothed me in righteousness. My love for You comes with qualification but You lavish me in unconditional acceptance and love. My heart stubbornly struggles to forgive but Your heart refuses to remember my failures. Fair? Not hardly.

Father You have given to me more than I deserve. I am grateful that You remind me that though I may temporarily suffer I will one day stand before You bathed in untouchable perfection. Help me wait on You today in a manner that proves my faith, strengthens my character, and deepens my love for You. Teach me to celebrate Your movement in the lives of others; even when I do not agree with Your approach.