He's Working While We Wait

In​ ​Psalms​ ​27:14, ​David​ ​tells​ ​himself​ ​to​ ​wait​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Lord. ​ ​He​ ​goes​ ​on​ ​to​ ​challenge​ ​himself​ ​to​ ​be​ ​brave​ ​and courageous. ​ ​Then​ ​he​ ​utters​ ​a​ ​second​ ​admonishment​ ​to​ ​wait​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Lord.  The​ ​repetition​ ​is​ ​no​ ​accident. ​ ​David​ ​was​ ​familiar​ ​with​ ​the​ ​ache​ ​of​ ​waiting. ​ ​He​ ​waited​ ​in​ ​the​ ​fields​ ​as​ ​a​ ​shepherd​ ​boy. He​ ​waited​ ​as​ ​he​ ​ran​ ​for​ ​his​ ​life​ ​hiding​ ​from​ ​Saul. ​ ​Even​ ​as​ ​the​ ​anointed​ ​next​ ​King​ ​of​ ​Israel, ​ ​he​ ​waited​ ​on​ ​God​ ​to​ ​put him​ ​in​ ​position​ ​as​ ​King, ​ ​denying​ ​the​ ​opportunity​ ​to​ ​take​ ​Saul’s​ ​life​ ​out​ ​of​ ​revenge. ​ ​David​ ​understood​ ​the​ ​importance​ ​of waiting, ​​even​ ​through​ ​grueling​ ​circumstances. ​ ​He​ ​trusted​ ​that​ ​God​ ​was​ ​working​ ​while​ ​he​ ​waited.

Like​ ​David,​ ​we​ ​can​ ​be​ ​confident​ ​that​ ​God​ ​is​ ​working​ ​as​ ​we​ ​wait​ ​on​ ​Him.​ ​We​ ​have​ ​to​ ​be​ ​careful​ ​not​ ​to​ ​mistake​ ​God’s silence​ ​for​ ​negligence.​ ​Often​ ​times,​ ​we​ ​want​ ​an​ ​immediate​ ​answer​ ​or​ ​sign​ ​after​ ​we​ ​pray.​ ​We​ ​wait,​ ​and​ ​after​ ​some time,​ ​we​ ​start​ ​to​ ​wonder.​ ​Did​ ​He​ ​hear​ ​us?​ ​Did​ ​He​ ​get​ ​our​ ​message?​ ​Is​ ​He​ ​working?​ ​The​ ​answer​ ​is​ ​yes.​ ​In​ ​the​ ​silence, God​ ​is​ ​orchestrating​ ​His​ ​plan​ ​and​ ​design​ ​that​ ​speaks​ ​loud​ly ​and​ ​clearly​ ​in​ ​its​ ​time.​ ​That’s​ ​why,​ ​sandwiched​ ​in​ ​the middle​ ​of​ ​David’s​ ​declaration​ ​to​ ​wait​ ​patiently​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Lord,​ ​he​ ​tells​ ​his​ ​heart​ ​to​ ​be​ ​brave​ ​and​ ​courageous.

I’ve​ ​been​ ​walking​ ​through​ ​this​ ​very​ ​season.

God​ ​recently​ ​showed​ ​this​ ​to​ ​me​ ​while​ ​planning​ ​a​ ​very​ ​large-scale​ ​event.​ ​I​ ​was​ ​working​ ​with​ ​an​ ​event​ ​coordinator​ ​who was​ ​very​ ​experienced.​ ​She​ ​was​ ​highly​ ​recommended​ ​and​ ​her​ ​service​ ​and​ ​knowledge​ ​was​ ​exemplary.​ ​As​ ​we corresponded,​ ​mainly​ ​through​ ​email,​ ​I​ ​noticed​ ​that​ ​it​ ​would​ ​take​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​time​ ​for​ ​her​ ​to​ ​respond.​ ​Sometimes​ ​I​ ​wouldn’t hear​ ​back​ ​from​ ​her​ ​for​ ​a​ ​few​ ​days.​ ​I​ ​would​ ​nervously​ ​follow​ ​up​ ​and​ ​she​ ​would​ ​graciously​ ​affirm​ ​that​ ​everything​ ​was under​ ​control.

We​ ​met​ ​together​ ​a​ ​few​ ​days​ ​before​ ​the​ ​event​ ​for​ ​a​ ​final​ ​walkthrough​ ​to​ ​discuss​ ​details.​ ​As​ ​we​ ​neared​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​the meeting,​ ​she​ ​stopped​ ​and​ ​looked​ ​at​ ​me​ ​very​ ​intently,​ ​touched​ ​my​ ​arm,​ ​and​ ​said​ ​calmly,​ ​“Tamar,​ ​just​ ​because​ ​I’m​ ​not responding​ ​as​ ​quickly​ ​as​ ​you’d​ ​like,​ ​doesn’t​ ​mean​ ​I’m​ ​not​ ​working.​ ​I’m​ ​taking​ ​the​ ​time​ ​to​ ​do​ ​what​ ​you’ve​ ​requested.​ ​I have​ ​your​ ​back.​ ​Everything​ ​is​ ​going​ ​to​ ​be​ ​great!” 

At​ ​that​ ​moment,​ ​I​ ​knew​ ​I​ ​was​ ​in​ ​good​ ​hands​ ​and​ ​the​ ​event​ ​would​ ​be​ ​everything​ ​I​ ​hoped​ ​it​ ​to​ ​be.​ ​I​ ​knew​ ​the​ ​Lord​ ​was reassuring​ ​and​ ​calming​ ​my​ ​fears​ ​about​ ​the​ ​unknown​ ​in​ ​my​ ​work​ ​and​ ​personal​ ​life.​ ​He​ ​spoke​ ​through​ ​this​ ​woman​ ​to reassure​ me ​that​ ​He​ ​was​ ​indeed​ ​working,​ ​sometimes​ ​without​ ​evidence​ ​right​ ​away.​ ​Even​ ​in​ ​the​ ​silence,​ ​I​ ​could​ ​rest knowing​ ​that​ ​while​ ​I'm​ ​waiting,​ ​God​ ​is​ ​working​ ​on​ ​my​ ​behalf.​ ​I​ ​left​ ​that​ ​meeting​ ​with​ ​a​ ​confidence​ ​I​ ​didn’t​ ​have​ ​when​ ​I walked​ ​in.

In​ ​every​ ​season, ​we​ ​can​ ​rest​ ​assured​ ​that​ ​God​ ​is​ ​working​ ​while​ ​we​ ​wait. ​ ​Hope​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Lord, ​ my​ ​friend, ​ ​as​ ​you​ ​wait​ ​on the​ ​promise.

“I​ ​wait​ ​for​ ​the​ ​LORD, ​ ​my​ ​soul​ ​does​ ​wait, ​ ​And​ ​in​ ​His​ ​word​ ​do​ ​I​ ​hope.” -Psalms​ ​130:5

Tamar Chipp is a worship leader whose heart is to exalt Jesus, share His truth and see people changed by His power. She leads the band Modern Day Cure with her husband, Aaron. www.moderndaycure.com