Hard to wait?

Austin Gardner • March 8, 2023

I got angry and returned evil for evil, and that is evil.

Psalm 37:7 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.

Do you find it hard to wait on God? I do. Notice the words that the psalmist uses in this psalm.

Rest means to be silent and still. Stop moving. It has the idea of almost being in shock. I get all bothered. God should do something. I think about my failures and how I have responded sinfully. I got angry and returned evil for evil, and that is evil. I want to sit still, be quiet, quit scheming, and wait on God.

We are to rest “in the Lord,” not our circumstances, feelings, thoughts, or plans. We are trusting God to do the right thing. We are looking at him and waiting for him to move. We know him. He is our Father. He will do right. We can be still, quiet, wait, and trust.

We are to wait patiently. The idea is of a mother waiting to give birth. It is a position of strength. They used it of an army lying in wait. We need not worry. We know him and his power. He will answer. We wait expectantly. We stay in hope.

We are not to fret or get angry or upset. We see God, and we know God will take care of everything. We focus not on the enemy or the problem but on God, who has the answer.

The enemy may do horrible things, but we are not focused on ourselves, the enemy, the problem, or anything except God, who hears and answers prayer. We know he loves us. We know He will meet our needs.

Let’s rest, and be quiet. Wait for God to show his strength. Let’s not get angry or in the flesh. We know we cannot win the victory, but we depend on the Lord. 

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