"I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.”
Psalm 40:1
We read and see quotes of scripture with the word wait in them. And I often think, “we don’t really know what the word wait means!”
“You keep saying that word but I don’t think it means what you think it means!” ~ Princess Bride quote
We seem to think it means that we are impatient or anxious or overwhelmed, and sometimes we are overwhelmed because we don’t fully understand the biblical meaning of waiting on God.
So, in order to get a better view of the verses that I am seeing on waiting on the LORD, I decided that maybe I should check out the dictionary and what the word wait actually means!
This completely changed my view of what God was telling me about waiting on him.
Let’s first look at the definition!
WAIT, verb intransitive [The sense is to stop, or to continue.
1. To stay or rest in expectation; to stop or remain stationary, till the arrival of some person or event.
Thus we say, I went to the place of meeting, and there waited an hour for the moderator or chairman. I will go to the hotel, and there wait till you come. We will wait for the mail.
2. To stay proceedings, or suspend any business, in expectation of some person, event, or the arrival of some hour. The court was obliged to wait for a witness.
3. To rest in expectation and patience.
The very first definition says, “to stay or wait an expectation.”
The third definition says, “to rest in expectation and patience.”
The word expectation is actually in the definition of the word hope! The word hope means to have expectation in God, or a better outcome!
Does that not change your whole view of wait or waiting!
We are to rest in hope!
The Bible repeats this principle in Psalms 16:9 and an Acts 2:26
It says, “my flesh shall rest in Hope” or wait in Hope.
This is my theme verse for my hurting hearts ministry. I want people to know THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE!
Let’s take a look at some of the scripture with the definition of “wait” in mind. Read these beautiful Scriptures, and really let it sink in on what God is telling us about waiting on Him!
This will not be a comprehensive list.
I encourage you to look up the word wait in a concordance and in your Bible and allow the Lord to show you personally about waiting on Him.
It will change your life and restore your soul!
“I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.”
Psalm 130:5
As I wait on God, His word gives me hope! Hope does not come without the living Word of God.
“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.”
Psalm 27:14
As I wait on God without fear, he promises to strengthen my heart as I live and tell others about Him.
“Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.”
Psalm 62:1
As I rest on God, he delivers me out of all my troubles.
“Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence.”
Psalm 59:9
As I rest in God, He is strong on my behalf I can rest because He will defend me.
“Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.”
Psalm 37:7
As I rest on God, I know he is in control and someday the evil man and his wicked devices will be no more.
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31 KJV
As I rest on God, He gives me “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow!” What a day this will be!
“I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.”
Psalm 52:9
Rest on the name(s) of God! He is our everything! If you haven’t ever done a study on the name(s) of God, I highly recommend you do! It will change your view of Him and you will fall in love with Him like you never have before! In order to trust God you must know Him first!
Everything here on earth is temporary. It is important that we filter everything we experience through the lens of eternity.
No matter what it is we are dealing with today, God promises that if we wait(rest) in Him He will provide…
Strength
Hope
Peace
Patience
Deliverance and more!
I pray this short study was a help and blessing to you as you learn to “wait on the Lord”!
Rest in Hope! 💚
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