We all hate to wait. We want it and we want it NOW! It’s part of our human nature. But this attitude doesn’t please the Lord. How do I know? Because He has repeatedly told us so in His Word and He’s convicted me a bunch! So I have been seriously working on this for a long time and I’ve made significant progress.
But that’s not what I want to talk about today. Believe it or not, there are some things for which you don’t have to wait.
God may not always answer your prayer in the way and time frame you want, but I have found He always answers my prayer for peace and comfort right away—provided I’m yielded to Him, allow Him to comfort me, and trust Him for it.
Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (NKJV, emphasis mine)
I remember as a new widow waking up almost every morning sad and depressed. Understandable, yes. I was grieving the loss of my soul mate! But I didn’t want to remain in that state!
So I did the only thing I could—turn to my Savior who had already proven His faithfulness and compassion to me many times before.
Once again He came through, again and again! Each time He comforted me with His love and presence. And that was enough! Jesus Christ really is all I need to be completely satisfied. While reminiscing on the one-year anniversary of my husband’s passing, I realized that Jesus had not only been enough—He was more than enough. He overflowed me with peace, hope, and an inexpressible joy to the point where it spilled over unto others. And He continues to do so today.
Will God do the same for you? Absolutely! As long as you go to Him with the right heart attitude—that of a needy, compliant child; not in a demanding, impatient, disrespectful, or combative way. Ps 46:10 says:
“Be still [or Cease striving in NASB], and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Receiving God’s “no-wait” comfort is not about a secret or magic formula, but about simply trusting in God and His promises.
I don’t know how He does it. (I don’t really need to know.) He just does. He’s God, He has that capability.
It’s like a deep knowing within our spirit that He will somehow work it all out—in His perfect timing and way. This choosing to believe (=trust) in God’s promises leads you to experience His perfect peace, gives you hope, reassurance, endurance, and of course, patience to keep waiting upon the Lord for a better day—even if that better day won’t be till heaven.
He knows exactly what you need in any given moment to encourage your heart.
Now listen: if you don’t feel comforted immediately, don’t give up! I have found that if I continue to seek His face, it does come in short order. I’m not saying I’m jumping up and down with happiness. But there’s an inner sense that God has met my need, that somehow I’ll make it through. He is with me; I belong to Him. I am His precious daughter, deeply loved and cherished. And that is enough!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles…. (2 Cor 1:3-4)
Take God at His Word; let Him minister to you. Don’t be like the psalmist in Psalm 77 who wouldn’t let his soul be comforted.
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Other Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide