Diligently Waiting on the Lord

One of the things that greatly grieves me about our current generation is the pressure to be what God hasn't called us to be. Social media is flooded with things to buy, lifestyles to copy, and facades of success. I'd like to preface this by saying that I know everything posted on social media isn't fake. But often, the media we consume isn't filtered through God's word and God's will – so inevitably, we begin to follow the trend instead of treading on the path God assigned to us. 

My Spiritual Father, Pastor Joe Asmah, said a statement in a sermon earlier this year that really resonates with me, "When you make major decisions out of temporary pressure, your mistake will mock your miracle." 

2023 is coming to a close, and very soon, we'll enter 2024. To some, this has been the best year of their lives, and for others, it's seemed like a series of unfortunate events. No matter your circumstances, I want you to know that now isn't the time to act rashly. 

Our timelines will soon be flooded with recap videos, year-end photo dumps, and captions outlining the great things someone experienced this year. But don't allow the pressure of someone else's success to lead to your ultimate downfall. 

Think for a moment about a great matriarch in our Christian faith – Sarah. According to the Bible, "By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised." – Hebrews 11:11 NKJV

The story of Sarah and Abraham conceiving their promised seed, Isaac, is quite interesting. I'm sure many of you are familiar with this Bible story. Still, in case you aren't, Sarah and Abraham waited decades to conceive. In fact, Sarah didn't have Isaac until she was 90-years-old! But, while waiting, Sarah saw fit to create her own master plan for having her child. She decided that Abraham should get together with her maidservant, Hagar, and her son would be born through them. After the act, upon Hagar's conception, she despised Sarah and even ran away from her. Through angelic intervention, Hagar returned to Sarah and had her son Ishmael. Although Ishmael was born, it wasn't God's design. The Lord was faithful to His promise to Abraham and Sarah; at very old age, they conceived and gave birth to Isaac. 

Something interesting is noted in the Bible concerning Ishmael and Isaac – "Now [as time went on] Sarah saw [Ishmael] the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking [Isaac]." – Genesis 21:9

This specific verse goes back to the quote my Pastor said. Sarah's mistake began to mock her miracle. Ishmael served as a reminder of Sarah's impatience and lack of belief in God at a specific time. Ishmael was a reminder of Sarah allowing another woman into the intimate relationship she had with her husband, in addition to the embarrassment and shame she carried for so long due to barrenness. 

What would have happened if Sarah had just believed in God instead of trying to manipulate her own 'miracle?' Surely, there would be one less major religion in the world. Her mistake had a generational impact that I'm convinced she never intended for. How many of us are living with the consequences of the disbelief and disobedience of our ancestors? After all, we're all byproducts of someone's love life – whether for good or bad. 

The temporary pressure that Sarah faced probably felt permanent to her. Imagine being the talk of the village for so long. Year after year, women were giving birth to children at ease, and year after year, the crib in her own home was empty. There's an account of Sarah that we popularly reference now: "Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore, Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?" – Genesis 18:11-12

Other versions mention Sarah saying, "After I am worn out…" Sarah's sentiment is, 'Lord, after we're old, and I'm fatigued, tired of waiting, exhausted with believing, now Lord, you want me to behold the treasures your truth creates?' I believe many of us are like Sarah right now. 

Lord, are you sure? After I messed up again? After I waited this long? After I went through this bad break-up? After I faced this major family issue? Now, God, you want to bless me…Now is when you want to give me the blessing you promised so long ago? Like Sarah, many of us have discounted our now. How is it possible that now is the kairos moment? 

I totally relate to this. It's so funny. A scripture I often hear at church is Psalm 135:6, which simply remarks that God is God and does what He wants. With this factual understanding, if you're anything like me, you'd ask God, what if what you want and what I want just disagree? You see, what I want is now, and what you want is later. 

Whew…what a common yet challenging reality. God isn't confined by our timeline. Sarah's account is so prevalent, especially during a time like this. The year is rounding up, and the stakes are high. God, remember what you said in January? Remember the seed I sown in March? God, remember I said I trust you in July? Lord, remember I still serve in the church as I wait on you? Father, remember, remember, remember. Sometimes, we can use what we do – even if it's Godly acts and routines, as a means of manipulation with God. As though our doings directly impact our blessings.

Even in this statement, it's not that God isn't moved by what we do and blesses us as a result. But if your heart in what you do is impure, it's hard for God to bless you! 

"God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares." – Psalm 139:23

I'd advise you to pray this scripture if you're reading this. Sometimes, we just don't know the truth of what's really in our hearts – but God does.

Waiting on God requires work. It's an active process; what God looks for is your complete trust in Him. Often, the work we have to do in seasons of waiting is working out our faith muscles. You see, in waiting, you become more diligent in prayer, studying your Bible, fasting, and serving at church. Your pursuit and intimacy with God becomes more meaningful because, many times, it's all you have to carry you through this challenging season. 

If you find yourself waiting and waiting and trusting God for something specific, make it a priority to pursue Him more. In the Christian faith, you often hear statements like "Don't get closer to God only when you want something"…while I agree with the sentiment, I've realized that if you seek the Lord and get close to Him, there's no way that your desires won't change. The famous scripture saying God gives us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4) comes from delighting in Him. And what it truly means is if you find delight in seeking the Lord, He will give your heart the desires to have. What you want will transform. 

Imagine if, instead of plotting and planning how God would do what He promised us as Sarah did, we made it our mission to find delight in the Lord. We sought Him, even with our sometimes tainted desires. We still seek Him and stay at His feet because we know, like the woman with the issue of blood, if we grab ahold of His garment, we will be forever transformed. 

As we end 2023, in the wording of Paul, I beseech you to know the Lord! I know you may not have what you want yet. I know this year has made you weak and weary. But as you seek the God of Strength, He will strengthen you. As you seek Jehovah Jireh, our provider, He will make provisions for you! You aren't alone in this faith walk. One thing I can tell you is that believing in God isn't easy, but it's always worth it. 

The simple revelation I want to leave you with today is you can't trust God without God. You need His Holy Spirit to help you trust Him and believe in His word. You need the help of the Holy Spirit to hold tight to the promise and not falter in pursuit. As you rely on the Spirit of God, you'll begin to soar in your faith! Trust in the Lord, even when you don't feel like it. And be intentional about diligently waiting on the Lord!

Scriptures to hold onto:

• "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." – Proverbs 3:5-6

• "Yet I believe with all my heart that I will see again your goodness, Yahweh, in the land of life eternal! Here's what I've learned through it all: Don't give up; don't be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep on waiting—for he will never disappoint you!" – Psalm 27:13-14

• "So why would I fear the future? Only goodness and tender love pursue me all the days of my life. Then afterward, when my life is through, I'll return to your glorious presence to be forever with you!" – Psalm 23:6