Speaker: Sis. Techie Rodriguez, Elder, The Lord's Flock Catholic Charismatic Community

" Trusting and Waiting for the Lord"

God Is Changing Us into the Image of Christ!

“Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2).

We have been saved and redeemed by Jesus Christ. God created us and is not yet finished with us. He is still changing us into the image of Christ. We are experiencing a long process like that of a beautiful piano that has to undergo manufacture of components, assembly, and quality tests of its wonderful sound.

God Has Wonderful Plans for Us!

Are we becoming impatient because we cannot see yet God's plans for our life? Are we getting discouraged because we have not seen the beautiful things we seek with our prayers and devotions?

Let us remember that God has wonderful plans for each one of us. Let us learn how to trust the Lord. Let us learn to wait on God's appointed time. “There is an appointed time for everything and a time for every affair under the heavens.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

Timing Is Very Important!

Timing – doing the right thing at the right time - is very important! During war, attacking the enemy at the right time is essential to winning the battle. In sports, a delay in one's play can result in his loss. In hospitals, un-coordinated moves and time schedules in the operating rooms can cause tragedies.

iming in our daily walk with the Lord is crucial. We should know when to wait and when to act in our decision-making process.

Time is important. Timing is crucial. Delays are also allowed by God. There are many examples about time in the Gospel:

•  John 2:1-11 (Wedding at Cana ) - “My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:4)

•  Luke 8:40-56 (Jairus Daughter and the Woman with a Hemorrhage)

•  John 11:1-44 (The Raising of Lazarus) – Jesus arrived four days after Lazarus had been in the tomb – that his disciples may believe. [verse 15].

•  Job 1 and 2 (Job underwent trials when he was struck by calamities and tragedies. He suffered pain and disease. But he waited and did not complain. He came out victorious from the tests. His health and wealth were restored by God.

Why We Do Not Wait for the Lord

Why do we sometimes do not wait for the Lord?

1) We lack knowledge about God's timing. Some of us, believers, do not follow God's will and step out of fellowship with him because we do not know God's timing. We do not wait on God's time and we make wrong decision on our own time and suffer disastrous consequences.

2) We think we know what we want to do and cannot wait. We have the urge to act immediately and cannot wait for God's clear direction.

Sometimes, we insist on pursuing our own plans without being concerned to know God's real purpose for our life. We make decisions and move ahead without understanding God's will for us. At the end, we fail in everything.

We Should Wait for the Lord

Let us claim God's promise in Psalms 32:8: “I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk, give you counsel and watch over you.”

For those who hope and wait for the Lord, He also promised in Isaiah 40:30-31: “They hope that the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles' wings. They will run, and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.”

Trusting and Waiting for the Lord

1) Waiting Is Pausing to Receive

Instructions from the Lord

Waiting for the Lord does not mean doing nothing at all; it is pausing until we receive instructions from the Lord. When we submit something to God, He may not immediately reveal to us what we must do. He may tell us something today, tomorrow, next month or even many years later. We must be very quiet in waiting for what the Lord will say to us.

The Lord does always give us the same direction for the same situation. We should be prepared to receive different instructions. We must wait in determined stillness to know that He is God. We do not do anything until he gives a clear direction. We should not be in a hurry.

In our modern world, many people seem to be in a hurry with instant food, instant photos, instant communications, instant everything, etc. People want to do many things in a hurry. They are impatient.

Moving fast and being in a hurry do not imply not being blessed by the Lord. Moving ahead, however, risks being unable to see and receive the best that God can give us. Instead of going too fast, let us have the habit of always consulting first and waiting for the Lord.

“For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

God's plans are connected to every event that happens to us. He knows that what we do will affect other people. We must therefore listen to God and wait for his instructions. He allows delays and even detours.

We chart our own course of actions. We should do so in harmony with the Holy Bible. It is always good to be guided by the Scriptures and to navigate with the Word of God. After preparing our plans, we submit them to God.

God often instructs his people to wait. “Wait for the Lord, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the Lord.” (Psalms 27:14). We should be brave enough to wait. Let us take courage and wait for the Lord's guidance.

The only way to wait patiently for the Lord is to rest in him. We must trust God to the point that we are no longer anxious about anything. The Lord knows everything about us. He will give us what is best for us.

2) Waiting Should Be Marked By Silence

While we wait for God's answer, we should be silent. “My soul, be at rest in God alone, from whom comes my hope.” (Psalms 62:6). While we wait and hope, let us be quiet. Sometimes, while we wait for God, we even complain about God's delayed response. We tell God why we think He ought to let us move on. We should not be doing so. We should wait silently and patiently.

The Lord often acts on the 11 th hour–quite a “photo-finish” but always in perfect timing. As God's time is not using our kind of time, He is neither early nor late. Let us therefore trust in God. Let us rest in God alone.

There are examples in the Bible when God worked wonders even when there were delays. He did not forsake those who waited for him.

When we wait for God, let us be diligent especially when God has placed a dream in our heart. Let us not give up pursuing our dream. Let us have the fruit of endurance. We continue to believe and trust in the Lord – when He says He will do it, He will!

3) Trust the Lord even without Seeing yet the Fruit of our Petitions.

The delays we may encounter are in accordance with God's plans. We should not get tired waiting for what God has promised us. He fulfills his promises always. We should trust the Lord always.

4) Waiting Should Not Involve Looking to See What Others Are Doing

While waiting for God's move, we sometimes look around to see what others are doing. We also mix up God's message to us with the many negative voices and wrong advices that we hear from others. Let us concentrate listening to God and doing what He says. Let us ignore people influencing us not to wait for the Lord. Let us be patient waiting. Most of all, let us trust the Lord who keeps his Words!