5 Benefits of Waiting On God

Waiting on God does not come easy for me. I have a bit of a patience problem. The vast majority of mistakes in my life have come because of my lack of patience. This week I was reminded by a cormorant the value of waiting on God.

I noticed one day while relaxing by the sea a bird on a piling. He sat there for a while. Later in the day I saw that the bird was still sitting on his perch. My wife did a little research and discovered that our friend was a cormorant. We named him Eduardo.

I recently wrote a post about time management so the thought of sitting there like Eduardo all day seemed a waste of time. But then it occurred to me that maybe waiting could be a good thing sometimes. Perhaps it would do for you and I to stop occasionally and listen for God. Here are 5 benefits that scripture gives for waiting on God.

1. A Christian’s Defense Comes From God

There are many dangers in this world today. Some you see coming. Others you cannot. God sees it all and you can trust him for your protection.

Spiritual warfare is very real. You and I alone are no match for the evil that surrounds us. The good news is that we are not without help in this battle. God loves his children and desires that you look to him for your security. Wait on God and let him show you his fortification.

Psalms 33: 20 – Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.

2. Hope Can Be Found Waiting On God

There is that word again. Hope. I can’t get away from it. Hope is what Christ gave the world at Calvary.

Hope is what keeps us moving forward. When a soul loses hope they give up. I see so many people in this world today that seem to have lost hope. You can see it in their eyes. If they only knew the truth.

I cannot show you all the benefits now of trusting in Jesus. I listed a few in Substantial Hope but there are so many more things that I have not seen yet. That is where the hope comes in. I expect greater things than I have ever known to come from God.

Psalms 62:5 – My soul, wait though only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

3. Trust God To Strengthen Your Heart

Sometimes I grow weary in this way. People seem intent to destroy each other, and especially those of the household of faith. This can be very disheartening.

The noise that we encounter today can become spiritually deafening. We are bombarded all day with news of hate and despair from around the world. The Christian way of life is being attacked on all fronts. Sometimes courage can be hard to muster.

Our faith is being tested while we are here. It will not last forever. There is a day coming when our faith will be made sight. Wait for the Lord for a little while and he will supply the strength you need.

Psalms 27:14 – Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

4. Blessings Come From Waiting On God

Blessings from God are a bonus when we are obedient to his will. Sometimes we are blessed by other people’s prayers or work. Our love for Jesus is what should motivate us to do as he asks not our desire to obtain anything.

We don’t always see the way that God is blessing us right away. Sometimes the gifts can be realized later on in life. Often it takes someone else to show us how much God has blessed us with. A Substantial Life is not immediately recognized. There is some work and time to put in.

There is a spiritual inheritance that God will give his children. We need to be faithful to his word and seek his will daily. In time his blessings can be observed in your life. You will see it!

Psalms 37:34 – Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

5. There Is No Other Place Than God To Get Your Salvation

The preacher could not save me. My parents did not have that power either. Church members had no authority to redeem my soul. Jesus was the only place I could go.

Don’t get me wrong. All the people I mentioned had a part in pointing me in the right direction. My mother taught me about Jesus. The church instructed me on the ways of the Lord. The preacher told me I must be born again to go to Heaven. These things were all good, and I am thankful for the prayers and teaching from all of those good Christians.

Salvation could not come until the Lord drew me. His spirit beckoned me one night in my bedroom. The groundwork had been laid by the church and then, while I sought Jesus and waited, he touched my heart and I accepted him as my savior. I have been saved ever since that night. That was the ultimate benefit from waiting on God.

Psalms 62:1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.

If you are like me your life has many distractions. I run all week to work and other obligations and forget to just sit still for a while. There is a time for action but there is also a need to stop sometimes and listen to God. He speaks in a still, small voice but sometimes I let my busyness drown that voice out.

My friend Eduardo reminded me that sometimes I need to be still. I don’t know what Eduardo was doing sitting there all day. His motive was surely much more simple than waiting on God.

I gained a lot on vacation this week by clearing my head and waiting on the Lord. If you get a chance this week, find a quiet place and get rid of all the noise. Take a little time to wait on God.