Waiting on God

Many of us have felt those difficult times when we anguish over a situation that seems to have no resolution. Despite our many prayers and doing everything we can think of, the situation only becomes worse. Our tears may be for a child who has strayed far from God’s path and whose destructive behavior is taking its toll. It may be for the healing of a loved one when all we can do is pray and watch as their health declines. The list of situations is long and exhausting, and our pain is very real. The frustration that we feel for our own lack of ability to bring any resolution often deepens our struggle. However our anxiety lessens greatly when we place our hope fully in the hands of Jesus.

We are told in 1 Peter 5:6-7 to “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” This is a beautiful verse that guides us to turn every situation over to God. 

There is so much in our life that we have no control over and our inability to right whatever is wrong is the cause of much of our anguish. Giving it all to God is an act of humility. It is an acknowledgement that only God can change what needs to be changed. Only God can change the hearts of those who are on a destructive path. Only God can bring healing where there is no nope. Only God can right a wrong that we have no control over. 

Giving it all to God is also an act of sincere faith. It is an acknowledgement that He is God, and we are not. We give it all to God when we declare that the battle and the victory is His alone. 

The sign that we have truly turned our cares over to God is when the tenor of our prayer changes. Instead of beseeching God to act, we are thanking Him for acting. We thank Him that He is bringing our child back to Jesus. We thank Him that He is bringing healing to our marriage. We thank Him that He is God, and we are not, and that although we may not yet see any positive results, our faith is in Him to guide us and to turn everything around. 

Although we continue to pray for God to act on whatever situation is causing us anguish, we still may have an active part to play before we see a positive resolution. Yes, there are those times when all we can do is pray. But there are also those times when God needs us to change our ways or to take some specific action or to give before we can receive, all in order for our prayers to be answered and for His will to be done.

If there is anything that we have been praying about, anything that is giving us anxiety, turn it over to God. Let our prayers change from prayers of asking to prayers of thanksgiving. 

Let us acknowledge that God has heard our prayers and that He is in control. Tell the Lord of our faith in Him as we humble ourselves before His throne and declare that the victory is His.

The victory should always be the Lords’. His ways are not our ways, and His ways are always better. Trust in the Lord. Give Him all of our cares and concerns. Has He not already proven Himself worthy of our complete and abiding trust?