Patiently Waiting (For the Lord)
I did a Google search (5/12/2025) entering “What does it mean to wait upon the Lord?” A reply came back in the form of an “AI Overview”. While I don’t necessarily recommend going by everything AI replies, this overview looks quite good and correct. So, rather than senselessly labor to arrive at a similar result, here I quote that AI Overview:
““Waiting upon the Lord” in a religious context, particularly in Christian theology, means trusting in God’s timing and plan, and actively seeking His guidance and strength while patiently enduring challenges. It’s not about passively sitting idle but rather about actively seeking God’s will and relying on Him for strength and direction.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
- Trust and Reliance: Waiting on the Lord implies a deep trust in God’s character, promises, and sovereignty. It means acknowledging that God is in control and that His timing is perfect.
- Active Faith: Waiting isn’t passive. It involves actively seeking God through prayer, study of His Word, and engaging in acts of faith. It means continuing to live a life of obedience and trust while awaiting God’s guidance.
- Patience and Endurance: Waiting on the Lord often involves facing difficult circumstances or waiting for answers to prayers. It requires patience, perseverance, and the ability to endure through trials.
- Expectancy: Waiting also involves a positive expectation of God’s faithfulness and provision. It means believing that God will ultimately work in your life to fulfill His promises and purposes.
- Seeking God’s Will: Waiting on the Lord is a time to actively seek His guidance and discern His will for your life. This can involve prayer, seeking wisdom from others, and paying attention to the circumstances around you.
In essence, waiting upon the Lord is a deeply personal and transformative experience that involves trust, patience, active faith, and the expectation that God will eventually act in your life, guiding you toward His purposes.”
My favorite source and one most reliable, the Bible, provides numerous insights into patiently waiting (for the Lord). One is found at Isaiah 40:30-31 which reads:
30 Even the youths faint and get weary,
and the young men utterly fall;
31 but those who wait for Yahweh will renew their strength.
They will mount up with wings like eagles.
They will run, and not be weary.
They will walk, and not faint.
These words also appear in a hymn written by James McGranahan in the 19th century entitled “They That Wait Upon The Lord”, which was sung for many years and still is in some churches occasionally.
Why do I consider this article important? To put it plainly from personal experience, if you want to ruin your life don’t wait upon the Lord. So please, let’s all of us be patiently waiting upon, and patiently waiting for, the Lord.
Also, one of the “fruits of the Spirit” listed in the Bible is patience. I understand how in an “instant society” where we can microwave our food and just ask AI, patience can become more difficult for us. But we know some things just can’t be rushed.
On the lighter side, I enjoyed an account a pastor gave of an event that occurred after he prayed for patience. He told how he got behind a long line to return a purchase at a major department store. After much time and waiting, he finally arrived at the counter only to be told he had waited in the wrong line! That pastor jokingly advised, “Never pray for patience!”
May God Bless You!