Wait for the Lord- Dr. Charles Stanley

From August In Touch magazine by Dr. Charles Stanley- INCREDIBLE article on waiting on the Lord!!!

"Right timing is critical in a believers walk with the Lord. However trusting His timing in important decision, uncertain direction, or pressing needs is extremely difficult when everything within us cries, "Do something!" Because we want action, waiting for God seems so passive.

To wait for the Lord means to pause for further instruction while remaing in the present circumstance. It is a purposeful, expectant focus on God- a choice to be actively still and quiet in out heart, listening for His voice and watching for His intervention. The wait is not for events to work out as we want, but rather for God's will to be done. The Lord's voice often comes to us through His Word. Because this is His instruction book for our lives, quiet meditation on Scripture is essential. Sometimes when I read my Bible, a passage will jump out at me. The guidance I'm seeking is right there, almost as if it has my name written on it.

At other times, God will use changed circumstances to redirect us, or He will motivate another person to give guidance, However, always remember that any voice offering us direction must align with the Lord's will as revealed in His Word; otherwise, it is not from Him.

The first step in waiting for the Lord is submission to His choice of how and when He will act. What are you hoping God will do? Are you seeking Him or the thing you want from Him? Because He alone knows what is best for you, let go and trust His choice."

Trusting while waiting

Sitting in the hospital room looking at my beautiful Grandma sleeping, praying for quick recovery , healing and sweet rest. As I drove here this morning I was struck with the thought that no matter what age you are, there are seasons of waiting. When your young it might be the wait to graduate, the wait to get married, or the wait to have children. When your older its may be the waiting of grandchildren, waiting for your spouse's health to get better, or waiting and hoping for God to take away the pain and bring you home. Those are just a few seasons that were brought to mind as I rode down the highway this morning.

The wonderful thing about seasons of waiting is its a season of growth and learning dependency and trust in the Lord. Whether you desire healing or a husband, both things are in the Lord's hadsg and not ours. Our job is to trust in the Lord with all of our heart and not to relay on our common sense but in everything give credit to God and He will direct our paths (Provers 3:5-6).

Another thing we are instructed to do is cling to God's word for answers, and lean on Him for our protection. Proverbs 30:5 says "Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in HIm." In your season of waiting are you putting ALL your trust in the Lord?