It is good to wait

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. – Lamentations 3.25-26

Jeremiah could hardly bear the loss of Jerusalem as he stood in the empty streets of the city that was once a shining light on a hill. He had been lamenting the state of the city and weeping over how long it would be until the city was restored.

But then we called to mind that they were protected by God’s mercy. That His compassion would not fail. That God’s love and His mercy were new every morning. He remembered the greatness of God’s faithfulness.

And then he called to mind that in times like this it was good to wait on the Lord.

I often wonder about that because I don’t like to wait. Why is waiting such a great thing. James gives us a hint when he says that trials produce patience and patience brings us to maturity. ‘Let patience do its work in you’ he writes, 'and you will grow to maturity.' 

I think the key here is that when we patiently wait we are putting our faith in God to sort things out. It means that we have done all that we can do and now we have to sit back and trust Him. It means that I don’t rush ahead ignoring God in my quest to get it done. It means I don’t gripe when I can’t do anything more. Instead I trust Him and grow though my waiting.  

God will deliver and His deliverance is best.