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by Rev. Fr. V.V. Paulose, Toronto, Canada
"I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry." (Psalm 40:1)
Are you frustrated and on the verge of retreating
from waiting?
God is always on time to help you. Waiting for something or for someone
indefinitely is very frustrating and boring. Most often, we give up halfway and
stop waiting. God's time is not our time and our time is not God's time. For
him, 1000 years is a day. In our fast-paced, highly technologically driven
world, the hardest thing to do is to "be still before the Lord and wait
patiently for Him" (Psalm 37:7). "In this instant happening society', we can
expect nothing more. We even have a hard time waiting for the microwavable
popcorn to finish popping!
God seems to hide Himself from us when the light in our souls turn to darkness,
leaving us in distress. The pain of that loneliness can last days, weeks, and
even months; but God always returns on his terms and time. Christians throughout
history have waited patiently for the Lord and have been rewarded. David
received four benefits from waiting: the Lord lifted him out of despair, set his
foot on solid ground, steadied him as he walked, and put a new song of praise in
his mouth.
Robert Glover was a devout follower of Christ In England. In 1555, he was
arrested for denying the state-approved doctrine. He was tried for heresy, and
was sentenced to burn at the stake. During this time, he experienced God's
dreadful withdrawal, and fell into despair fearing that God had abandoned his
soul. But Robert spent his time in prayer. One of Robert's friends, Austin,
visited him in prison and encouraged him to stay patient and wait for God,
saying that God would come back before the end. On the day of his execution,
when the executioners led him to the stake, he suddenly felt God's presence so
profoundly and he started clapping his hands in joy and crying out, "Oh, Austin,
He has come! He has come!"
Be patient and trust Him. God's love for his children is eternal. We can
personally go and encourage the dejected who are frustrated with their long wait
for a solution to their problems. Be with them till they come out of their
sorrows.
Jesus, don't wait, please come and help us in our
long, unending frustrated wait for you. We are really tired, please strengthen
us. Let your spirit encompass us under His wings. Break your silence and answer
the prayers of your children in desperation. All we ask in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
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