Scripture

Isaiah 40:31 ESV

But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Consider

Dealing with a difficult relationship can be exhausting. We spend our energy on heated arguments or stubborn silences, and then we replay the hurtful scenes over and over in our minds. With the diligence of a defense attorney bringing our case to trial, we review the particulars and construct a narrative that explains exactly what the offenses are and who is to blame.

At some point we bring God into the situation and pray. We already have a pretty good idea of how God can fix things, and we let him know what we need: a shift in the other person’s behavior, removal of some obstacle, rescue from illness or addiction, acknowledgment that we have been injured. Then we settle back and wait for God to act.

We find, however, that waiting and watching for the changes we’ve requested can be in themselves exhausting. The waiting for the Lord Isaiah talks about is not anxious suspense but confident abiding in Christ and resting in the promise that God will bring good from every circumstance. According to the passage, God wants us to pray not only to voice our desires—which he already knows—but to receive strength and power by soaring closer to him and trusting that he is faithfully working in our difficult circumstance.

When we look only for the answers we expect, we may miss God’s positive movement in the experience. Perhaps God wants to teach us a new skill, grow our faith, or guide us to a place of acceptance. God may be giving us time to reflect and realize our guilt in the conflict or how we have judged the other person without understanding or compassion. It’s possible that God is already working in the other person’s mind and heart, but we won’t see it until we start behaving with more patience and kindness. It’s also possible that God has a plan that we cannot comprehend.

Waiting for the Lord means staying alert to God’s presence and loving activity. It means trusting that God is never idle but always responsive to our prayers and working for our good, even when his actions seem silent or invisible or incomprehensible.

Pray

Good Father, I believe you love me and always act for my good. Give me faith to see your active movement in my circumstances and to recognize help that does not come the way I expect it. Use my prayers to lift me closer to you in the power of your Spirit.

Reflect

Isaiah 30:18; Romans 8:28

Ponder

When God seems to delay, how might he be silently acting on my behalf?