Passion Week Devo - How can we wait well? [Saturday]
Have you ever waited for something and wondered what was going on? I’ve been in many situations where I thought something should be happening but I began to lose hope that it would ever turn out okay.
People wait for with great longing for:
o A loved one to come to salvation
o Financial breakthrough
o A ministry or job opportunity
o A spouse
o Physical, emotional, or relational healing
Waiting can be one of the most difficult tasks we need to do. It saps your energy even though you may not need to actually be doing anything.
I’m not sure but I think waiting is hard because we have expectations that are not being met. We think “it” was supposed to happen sooner or come easier. “It” wasn’t supposed to look like what is really happening.
The disciples were facing all these things on Saturday. The Jesus who did all the miracles was dead. They knew best of all about his supernatural abilities and so they likely wondered why he didn’t save himself. Their hopes of freedom from Roman rule were, in their perspective dashed.
At the time they didn’t fully understand God’s purposes were much higher than their expectations.
God’s purposes are ALWAYS higher than our expectations.
He is trustworthy even when things aren’t turning out like we thought or hoped they would.
Maybe you are like me. You want your people not to have to go through hard things. You want your life and their lives to be trauma and drama-free.
Does your life look like you hoped it would in this season, or are you waiting for something to change or for Someone to come through?
What can you do while you are waiting? How do you know what to wait for or believe for?
Here are some helpful tips and truths to consider while you are waiting.
1) Rehearse God’s faithfulness. Maybe start a journal of stories where God came through in a situation from your past when you were waiting for him.
2) Offer your expectations up to God – maybe His answer is different than what you are thinking.
3) Search scripture for promises you can stand on. Be careful not to “cherry-pick” and just find verses to back up what you want to happen, but look for themes throughout God’s word where he promises to be with us, to care and comfort us, and to give us strength.
4) Live with the end in mind. Think of your life when whatever you are facing is resolved and ask yourself, what would you like to say happened while you were waiting. Who do you want to “be” in the middle of the situation?
Activate: Identify a middle you are in right now. What is something you are waiting for?
Prayer: God, we lift up our lives to you. We want what you want. Show us your way. We release our expectations of outcomes to you and trust you know best.
Want more: Read Psalm 27 in more than one version. List the emotions expressed in the order of their appearance. What can be learned from this?