When It’s Hard to Wait
I dropped to my knees again with tears rolling down my face and no words to pray. I wanted to beg God to answer me, hear me, get back with me, or at least send me a sign so I would know He was hearing me. There was no sign, no miracle in the mailbox, no special verse that kept showing up, and no answer.
Sometimes it’s hard to wait on God. I know He holds the power to do anything at anytime, but when things seem undone, physically impossible, or difficult to understand, I struggle to see beyond the obvious answer.
When God says, “Wait,” it’s hard for me to accept. I would like to say that I am a patient person, but when life isn’t going great, sometimes I become impatient. I begin to question why God won’t answer, step in, heal, fix, or mend the unraveling circumstances that surround me.
As I waited for the answer to what seemed like one of the biggest prayers I had ever prayed, I wrestled.
I wrestled with, “Why?”
I wrestled with, “Why not?”
I wrestled with, “Why not now?”
I wrestled with God.
When I finally stopped wrestling, God changed His answer from “Wait,” to “Worship.”
Through the waiting, God taught me a lesson that I hope I never forget. He taught me that no matter how long the tough seasons of our lives are, and no matter how high the circumstances may mount, God deserves our worship in the waiting.
I could have spent my energy, my effort, and my enthusiasm on worshiping the one who could change everything at any moment, rather than agonizing anxiously over things I could not control.
When we wrestle we waste time. We forfeit days, nights, weeks, and months of our lives worrying about things that God can completely change.
Many times people say that God answers prayers in one of three ways. I disagree. Yes, no, and wait are not the only answers God has given me. Many times He tells me, “Worship.”
When I turn my waiting into worship, God calms my anxiety. I don’t know what you have recently begged God for, but if you feel like the answer is not coming, consider the idea that maybe God answers in more words than we think. Perhaps He is saying, “Worship.”
One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.
When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!
Psalm 27:4,8,14
Love & Blessings,
Micah
Share this with someone you love!
Page with Comments
Comments are closed.
Enjoyed this post, Micah! I have been is seasons of waiting myself. In fact, all who believe in and trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior are continually waiting and watching for His return. One day. One day! But a few days ago I was talking with a friend who has been “in waiting” for 3 1/2 years, repeating some necessary steps because so much time had passed. Yesterday, I highlighted this verse share which seems to echo your thoughts here today…Isaiah 26:8. “Yes, Lord, walking in the way of you laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.” May His name be praised in all steps of our journey of “waiting”. Worship! Let us make His Name and His Honor our greatest desire!
Awesome verse to go along with this concept! Yes, may His name be high and lifted up in every season of our lives!
I am in the waiting thing, previously it hadn’t dawned on me that worship helps. Today I was encouraged from my place of worship to keep on worship God through the hard places. My theme song is held by casting Crowns and theme verse is isaiah 30:15-18. So three years now gone in my waiting, just trying to keep the wonder and joy during the waiting.
Joni, Keep on keeping on. I’m sorry your season has been so long. I would never say I completely understand, but I will pray for you today. Keep seeking and finding God’s promises moment by moment.
Another great post. Also what I needed to hear bc I’ve been trying to get this into my own head for what seems like forever! And I totally agree bc every time I was finally able to truly give something to God that’s when He chose to reveal Himself or His plan or His “behind the scenes” work to me. No matter how hard it is or how long it takes us we will always receive exactly what we need when we r finally able to really and completely give it to God. Even if what we need is the patience and peace to keep waiting. God always knows what we need and He always helps us to the other side of the valley! Even if we fight Him the whole way!
Jayna, so true. It’s all about complete surrender.
Thank you for the encouraging words this morning! I worry while I wait. I worry about whether I am doing the right thing… I worry about whether I can complete the task at hand… I worry about what other people think about what I’m worried about wating for…it’s exhausting.
I think maybe God is trying not to tell me something through my daughter begging me to be a kids worship team leader…maybe that’s the word I need to replace worry with…worship.
Super timely word for me today. Thank you so much!
Happy Monday!!!
Megs
Happy Monday, Meg! I love it when God’s timing is clear. Thanks for sharing this tid bit of your life with me.
This reminds me of the words of Corrie ten Boom (in a Dutch accent): Don’t Wrestle. Just Nestle.
I’m reading The Hiding Place now. :)
What a great post, God does deserve our worship in the waiting. I remember hearing somewhere that it is IMPOSSIBLE to feel discontent, angry, depressed, anxious, etc., simultaneous with worship. They just don’t coincide. Loved this. :)
This is such an important encouragement! I am facing a discouraging situation that is a repeated issue. I’m not going to lie, it feels very defeating. But I know that despite my circumstances I have a choice to worship. Visiting from Mommy Moments today :)
This is exactly what I needed today. I was recently divorced, one I didn’t want in the first place, and almost 3 weeks ago my ex came back into my life. Unfortunately he is still having emotional issues that he has to deal with before we can move forward or I have to start over for the second time. Things were so great for two weeks and I really thought we were already on the path to reconciling. This past weekend he decided he would just hurt me again and really needed to work on himself. I told him I still loved him and would be willing to give 100% and with God’s help we could make it. After over 20 years it is so hard for me to give up. I have been praying for God to help him and give him strength to deal with his past so his future can finally be what he needs. Now I am just waiting for my ex to make up his mind. It is soo hard. Today I have started just thanking God and praising him for the time I had my ex and for the last few weeks. I have to trust that God has me and is working everything toward the good.
I love this statement, When I finally stopped wrestling, God changed His answer from “Wait,” to “Worship.” Worshiping while you wait is a challenging task, but it does lift the sadness and sorrow and remind us of the greatness of our God. Thank you for the inspiration today!
Micah, what beautiful truth here. I’ve been in seasons that lasted years, where I was waiting for something only God could give. Coming to a place of acknowledging that God is good, even when I didn’t know the answer was the doorway that led me to genuine worship of Him. Choosing to yield my desire to Him in the waiting brought peace and confidence of His love for me. Even when waiting in the silence, choosing to worship Him because He is God instilled my spirit with peace. It’s amazing how God reminds us of His presence, His nearness, when we worship Him. Thanks so much for this reminder!
Visiting from the #RaRaLinkup. :)
I enjoyed your post Micah! Yes, you are so right, God does call us to worship in the waiting!!! Thank yu for sharing this. i am visiting today from Intentional Tuesday Link up. God Bless:)
I can’t tell you how much I needed to be reminded of this today. Especially about how wrestling is such a waste of time. Thank you for these words of conviction and encouragement. I’ll be worshiping this week while I’m waiting! :-)
Amen. Waiting is a difficult season. We feel as if we are standing still. But it is about the worship! Thank you for sharing.
-Sarah (www.sarahefrazer.com)
Thank you for sharing with us how to worship in the waiting. There have been others who have written about waiting recently, me included, but your idea of worship is like turning that frown upside down.
I am learning that releasing the wait time to God is very freeing. I have taken on the word “hope” for 2016 and it has come with freedom and a clearer vision for the future. In these first twenty days of January it has been a sweet time of pure trust in God. Blessed to be your neighbor at Messy Marriage today!!!
This makes me think of Job who was called away from waiting for an answer (why?!) to worshiping who God is. Thanks for linking Micah.
I was blessed in reading this post, Micah. I have often found when I start worrying or doubting while in the wait, if I put on worship music and worship, worry & doubt are dispelled. And joy fills their place. You have shared much wisdom in the post. Thank you!
We can’t change the circumstances anyway so we might as well gain strength from our worship! He is always worthy! Great post, visiting from #RaRa linkup today ♥
Micah, this is beautiful. Worship always seems to have an empowering effect, doesn’t it? When we worship Him, we put into perspective how small everything else really is. He’s so worthy. ~ Thanks for sharing. Blessed to be neighboring you at Lyli’s place this morning. ((Xx))
I love this Micah! Worship while you wait. While He gets the praise, we get His peace. Thank you for this beautiful reminder. I’m stopping by from the Sitting Among Friends link-up. Have a wonderful weekend!
This was a note-taker. PS 27:8 especially jumped out at me and rec’d the call for deeper study. Good stuff. Loved this line, too: “When we wrestle we waste time.” Puts it in perspective, doesn’t it? Brings the Lord into a clearer focus. Visiting you, Micah, from #livefreeThursday.
When I finally stopped wrestling, God changed His answer from “Wait,” to “Worship.”
So powerful. Great post today.
Good morning Michah, just a little note to let you know we FEATURED this encouraging post today on the Art of Home-Making Mondays at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth! :)
Dear Micah…this was such a wonderfully challenging, encouraging post and just what I needed to read…ah, the waiting is so difficult at times and one feels disillusioned so often! But yes! Worshipping whilst waiting is very important! Thank you for sharing your heart today…such a blessing!
Kelly-Anne
Nicely put. Thank you!
Beautifully said! Worshiping while we’re waiting….that’s something I want to do more of. I recently realized that “waiting” on the Lord was another way of saying that we’re trusting in him. That opened up the meaning of several scriptures in deeper ways for me.
Thanks for linking up with Grace and Truth last week!
Micah thank you. Sharing this.
As always, you speak my language! Waiting is my nemesis but I am learning to worship instead. Thank for the great words today on #liivefreeThursday!
I am learning too, Susan. Little by little. It sure is a process.