You may feel like giving up on prayers for wellbeing when they seem to go unanswered. Or maybe you are in a situation that doesn’t suit your plans and you don’t like to be kept waiting far too long for things to change. Despite all that we do, it can be hard to wait upon God to answer our prayers. However, the Psalmist provides encouragement to us with these words of wisdom: “wait on the Lord and be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord.”
Let me encourage you to position yourself and stand still because there is something great on its way for you. When God speaks to you, trust what he tells you. Remember you do not have to fight your battles alone. Position yourself so that you are open to receive the unexpected good that is in store for you. Remember that while God’s solutions may go against your logic, they will lead to the best outcomes.
In the book of Exodus, God instructed the people to “stand still and see the salvation of the Lord” and the Psalmist implored the people to “be still and know the will of God.” Both passages remind us of the power of trusting in God even when it seems difficult.
The powerful lyrics of Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time” do as well. She sings, “Give me one moment in time. When I’m more than I thought I could be. When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away. And the answers are all up to me. Give me one moment in time. When I’m racing with destiny. Then in that one moment of time. I will feel. I will feel eternity.”
Theologian John Piper says “waiting on the Lord is the opposite of running ahead of the Lord, and it’s the opposite of bailing out on the Lord. It is staying at your appointed place while he says stay or it’s going at his appointed pace when he says go. It is not impetuous, and it is not despairing.” Again, another message that reminds us to be patient and vigilant to witness the work of the Lord. I assure you that he hears your prayers.
Position yourself and stand still. Know that you have not been forgotten. You are being prepared. Believing in God’s plan will help you see the position that he is preparing for you to obtain. So Never Give Up! Never Give Up! Never Give Up!
By Dr. Walter Ghosten
chaplain@lhp.net
