I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2). He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3). And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.
PSALM 40:1-3
It’s likely we’ve all had the difficult experience of praying for something and wondering how long God would take to respond. We express our desire, pray sincerely, and sometimes get impatient when we don’t get our answer. We might even begin to create a backup plan if it seems He’s taking too long to come through.
Learning how to wait patiently on the Lord is an acquired skill—and an essential one. David, who learned to do so in times of joy, exile, and conflict, wrote that he “waited patiently” for God. The repetition also lets us know the writer is stating something important. David recognized that patient stillness helped his faith to grow—a truth he emphasized by writing it twice.
The psalmist was saying that he persevered in prayer and anticipated God’s answer. For us as well, waiting develops perseverance. Then, as Romans 5: 3-5 teaches, perseverance will lead to character, and character will bring about hope. If, while waiting, we look to God for wisdom and direction, we will begin to see His work in our life and recognize His goodness. Not only does waiting patiently express our trust in and reliance on God; it also helps us develop greater faith.
-IBC
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