Waiting

If you got here because you read the "Ask" devotional and you still haven’t received, I encourage you to do the one the hardest thing for us mortals to do, wait! Wait patiently and in expectation that you shall receive everything that God promised you.

The best thing you can do after praying is wait. This is the time that you can spend preparing for the blessing. Don't let the time that you are waiting be in vain because you are not prepared to receive the blessing.

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2 (NIV)

While you are waiting, things are happening that you can not see and that is called faith. In that time of waiting let your faith grow stronger. Losing heart is easy, but the blessing comes when you stand strong in the faith. These are easy words to read, but much harder to put into practice. In this devotional I want to explore some times of waiting.

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)

Biblical times of waiting:

Jesus healed the invalid after dealing with a disability for 38 years. John 5:14
Peter healed a man that was crippled from birth, that was over 40 years old. Acts 3:1-10; Act 4:22
Abraham patiently waited for his promised child Isaac to be born. Hebrews 6:15
Joseph waited in prison after being sold into slavery and accused of things he didn’t do. The he was promoted to second in command to Pharaoh, in Egypt. Genesis 37, 39-41
Hannah prayed and wept earnestly for a baby, while she watched Peninnah have children. 1 Samuel 1
David waited from the time he was a teenager until he was 30 years old to become king. Psalm 40:1, 1 Samuel 16, 2 Samuel 5:4

You can't talk about patience and waiting without bringing up Job. The entire book is a story of character, perseverance, and patience.

The final take away here is to pray, prepare, and wait.