Sometimes we have to wait for God’s presence, or for Him to act on our behalf, because we haven’t been holding ourselves accountable for our behavior. This is especially so if our actions have run contrary to His word. In this case, He distances Himself from us, and maybe throws a little discipline our way to get us back on track. We are always just a confession and a repenting, away from God’s restoration:
Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins? Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD! Lam. 3:39, 40. ESV
Moreover, even in our darkest hour, we can always depend upon the love, mercy and steadfast faithfulness of our God – who covers us with the limitless grace that we could never earn on our own.
Our loving God takes no pleasure in dishing out the discipline (justice) that we (during our slip and falls) have forced His hand to administer. He only does that to save our lives:
For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. For He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. Lam. 3:31 – 33. NKJV
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lam. 3:24 – 26. NKJV
Another time that we may have to wait on God, is for answered prayer – especially because we want them granted within our desired timeline.
Jesus tells us that whatever you pray to God for, in His name, Christ will make it happen. (Jn. 14:13, 14.) The caveat is that what you pray for must align with God’s will, and not be detrimental to you or others:
You ask and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. Jas. 4:3 NASB
Or, you may be holding a grudge against someone at the time of your prayer. God will not answer your prayers while you practice unrighteousness. (Mk. 11:25)
The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous. Pr. 15:29 NKJV
But God can turn you around in a heartbeat through His mercy, after He first hears your repentant prayer:
He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, he shall see His face with joy, for He restores to man His righteousness. Job 33:26 NKJV
And then the door is open:
…the Lord has set apart for Himself [and dealt wonderfully with] the godly man [the one of honorable character and moral courage – the one who does right]. The Lord hears and responds when I call to Him. Ps. 4:3 AMP
Lastly with regards to prayer, you may need to shore up your faith to get it answered:
…whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mt. 11:24 ESV
Nevertheless, even after you have met God’s conditions for answered prayer, you may still have to wait. Why? Because God loves you so much, He is going to wait until you are ‘positioned’ in your life (i.e. have the maturity and understanding) to use HIs blessing to get the utmost out of it and to accomplish His will in you – and that’s a good thing.
The last thing we may have to wait on God for, is His promises. And as far as I’m concerned, His biggest promise is about gaining the presence of Christ to usher us into eternity. In our eyes, this has been a long wait. And if we think it has been long, let’s consider our ancestors.
It was approximately 3500 years ago when people were first introduced to the Messiah by Moses – when they heard that He was going to take out the devil. (Gn. 3:15). Later, Moses also revealed that Jesus would come from the Hebrew people and speak for God. (Dt. 18:18).
The Hebrews waited another 400 years to get more information, when they find that Christ will come from the line of King David of Judah. Three hundred more years’ elapse until the people learn more about their Messiah from the prophets Isaiah, Micah, Jeremiah and Daniel. Another 500 years’ pass before the Hebrews hear more about the ‘Anointed One.’ So many generations of people waited for their Deliverer. Regardless, many stood fast in faith:
By faith, Noah, being divinely warned of things not seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark…and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called out to the place which he would receive an inheritance…By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child who she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them from afar off, were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Heb. 11:7, 8, 11 & 13. NKJV
They (and many more) had faith that God’s promises would manifest in the right time.
A little over 2000 years ago, Jesus did come, and many beheld the promise. Yet a little over 30 years later, Jesus was caught up to HIs Father – all according to God’s plan and promises.
So here we wait:
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I hope in Him!” The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. Lam. 3;24 – 26. NKJV
(Still, thank God that we have access to Christ now through the Holy Spirit.)
But regardless when Jesus physically comes, (and He most assuredly will), the promise will be fulfilled at just the right time:
“Surely I am coming quickly.” Rv. 22:20 NKJV
Waiting on God can be hard; but He is a promise keeper. They will be fulfilled for you at the right time. To help that time come about, prepare yourself. Just as it was said in the movie Field of Dreams, “When you build it, he will come.”
For this very reason, applying your diligence [to the divine promises, make every effort] in [exercising your faith to, develop moral excellence, and in moral excellence, knowledge (insight, understanding), and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, steadfastness, and in your steadfastness, godliness… 2 Pt. 1:5 – 7. AMP
Goodnight and God bless.