Exactly how to wait on the Lord
Over the years, I’ve had to learn the concept of waiting on the Lord the hard way. After many failings and difficult lessons, I wanted to create a reference to help others make it through their own difficult times of waiting.
Below are phrases taken from various verses that speak directly to how to wait. They have given me great encouragement, and together make a useful spiritual to-do list. Pick a few to meditate on; or post the whole list on your fridge.
When you wonder what God is doing, or why He’s not answering your prayers, I pray these commands from Scripture bolster you with comfort and hope.
• Wait in expectation (Ps. 27:14; Ps. 33:20)
• Be strong (Ps. 27:14)
• Take heart (Ps. 27:14)
• Trust (Prov. 3:5)
• Don’t rely on your own understanding (Prov. 3:5)
• Acknowledge him (Prov. 3:6)
• Don’t be afraid (Ps. 27:3)
• Be still (Ps. 37:7)
• Be diligent (Pr. 21:5)
• Lay requests before him (Ps. 5:3)
• Delight in him (Ps. 37:4)
• Commit your plans to the Lord (Pr. 16:3)
• Don’t wear yourself out (Pr. 23:4)
Scripture list
I’ve included the verses referenced above, plus a few more (from the NIV.)
Ps. 5:3 – In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
Ps. 27:3 – The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?
Ps. 27:14 – Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
Ps. 33:20– We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
Ps. 37:4 – Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Ps. 37:7 – Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Ps. 40:1– I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.
Ps. 130:5 – I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.
Pr. 3:5-6– Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Pr. 16:3 – Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
Pr. 21:5 – The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.
Pr. 23:4 – Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.
Is. 30:18 – Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
La. 3:24– I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”
Mic. 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
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 | Tom Harper is publisher of BiblicalLeadership.com and executive chairman of Networld Media Group, a business-to-business publisher and event producer. He has written five books, including Servant Leader Strong: Uniting Biblical Wisdom and High-Performance Leadership (DeepWater Books, 2019) as well as the Christian business fable Through Colored Glasses and its sequel Inner Threat (DeepWater, 2022). Learn More » |
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