I don’t know about you, but patience isn’t my biggest strength. Whether the wifi is lacking, tmobile is dropping my calls like flies or that prayer request doesn’t seem to be reaching the heavens, waiting has always been a challenge for me.
Back in September, I found myself in a serious state of depression. It seemed like the walls kept get smaller and smaller, like nothing I was doing meant anything and like I had done everything I could do to correct the dysfunction in my life. I needed God then more than ever in my life and He came by way of a good friend’s one word text: “Psalm 27.”
Everyday before work, I would read that chapter and there wasn’t a morning when my eyes were dry. It spoke to my flesh, my spirit, my soul and my body. It was God was saying, “here I am, and I see you.”
It was the first time I actually studied a passage of scripture for more than a week. For three months I kept coming back to this section of scripture, and I revisit it because God continues to use that passage to speak to me about whatever challenge, decision, or pain-point I may be facing.
One of the most memorable verses that I have adopted from that chapter as a life verse is Psalm 27:14:
Wait for the Lord.Be strong and let your heart take courage.Yes, wait for the Lord.
This verse has completely changed the way I view, respond and endure through periods and seasons of waiting – whether it’s prayer requests, brokenness, a need of healing, or the ups and downs of singleness, it’s a verse for every situation.
The literally meaning of the word,”wait” in this verse doesn’t just mean say a few a prayers and then barricade yourself in your house until rain comes (though that may be the case in some situations). Instead it means, “to confidently expect.” For me that was life-changing. Before, I understood ‘waiting’ as a passive thing. Not something to really be intentional about or actively do. With this new perspective, my faith and heart to persevere through silent seasons, uncertain seasons and even painful seasons has helped me to grow in my relationship with God, family, friends and others in ways I couldn’t achieve on my own.
I wrote this poem originally for singles, but I think it applies to everyone no matter what season you’re currently in. God sees you. God hears you and most importantly God loves you too much to answer before you’re ready or to give you what isn’t His best in any situation.
This is my motivation; That I can lift up my concerns to an all knowing God and confidently expect Him to not just answer me, but to give me His best in His perfect timing.
Give it to God and keep working, keep praying and keep waiting knowing that your prayer has been heard and everything will fall into place just as He has already planned.
Learn to fall in love with God during your seasons of waiting.
Click here for full poem: Wait (Psalm 27:14)
In love,
Chiereme