Does God have you in a time of waiting?
There are two ways to wait – impatiently or patiently, angrily or peacefully, anxiously or trustingly.
Which one are you more familiar with?
And how can you begin to wait more patiently?
Hebrews 6:15 And Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.
How can I wait more patiently?
- “God is Sovereign and in control. I am not. And this is a good thing.” As you are waiting, learn to trust this truth. Don’t just say it. Believe it. Count on it as good news. Meditate on verses and passages of Scripture that emphasize God’s sovereignty.
- Know God’s promises in his word and commit them to memory. This is what Hebrews 6:13-20 is all about. The call to wait patiently is not a call to human virtue as much as it is a call to trust in the promises of God (God whose character and purpose is unchanging v. 17, God for whom it is impossible to lie v. 18).
- Know God’s character and trust it actively in prayer and worship. When times are tough and you tire of waiting, it seems easy to skip corporate worship with the church. Attending a small fellowship group becomes less attractive and you start to find excuses. Don’t do it. Never miss an opportunity to gather with the believing community. You need them now more than ever.
- While you wait consider others as more important than yourself. Keep serving. While you are waiting you will grow weary. In seasons of sadness it easy to withdraw. But if you quit serving others in the church – time will crawl ever more slowly. It is actually far easier to wait while actively engaged in serving others. Isolation makes everything worse. Even if your heart is breaking, you can still serve others and find ways to rejoice with (or at least for) them.
From the sermon preached February 25, 2018 on Hebrews 6:13-20