I will wait for You, O You his Strength; For God is my defense.

My God of mercy shall come to meet me; God shall let me see my desire on my enemies. Psalm 59:9-10

Wait (H8104): to keep, guard, observe, give heed, have charge of, keep watch and ward, protect, save life, to hedge about.

The word “wait”  in the above scripture is about being kept. A great benefit of waiting on God is that it protects us from impulsive and bad decisions. The above Psalm is David’s quiet confidence that God would deliver him from his enemies. David declared God’s deliverance and His defense in the midst of the pressure of being chased by Saul. There were moments that David feared for his life and wondered if he can escape from Saul’s hands, but he always reminded himself of God’s mercies and faithfulness. Waiting became a guard that saved him from bad decisions. Waiting hedged him in and helped David not to move in the flesh by eliminating his enemy.

God had already anointed David to be the future king. Now, it was time for David to believe God and trust His timing in bringing forth the prophetic word. It would have been easy for David to  justify killing Saul by calling it self-defense. However, David depended on God to bring forth His purpose and to defend him in the process. Waiting on God prevented David from making a terrible mistake and from killing Saul in his own power. The scripture tells us that David had the opportunity to kill Saul twice, but David did not touch him. Instead he waited for God to deliver him.

How do you handle bad behavior from others? Do you defend yourself before you give an opportunity for God to work on your heart and in the situation? When people gossip about you and talk behind your back do you wait on God to be your defense? Do you wait on the Lord to be delivered from unjust situations?  Some people because of major hurts and disappointments from their past have made a vow that they are not going to allow anyone to treat them unfairly. This stronghold has to be brought captive to the obedience of Christ, or one will continue to struggle with waiting on God to deliver them from a bad situation. 

The truth is that it will never be easy to remain silent and allow for God to fight our battles. It will require faith and self-control to wait on God. If we expect waiting to get easy before we do it, we will never wait for God to defend us! Lack of waiting sets people up for a cycle of strife and self-preservation. Self-preservation destroys trust and brings every form of evil in relationships. If we want to grow as spiritual people, we have to make a decision to believe God in protecting and delivering us from tough situations.

Wait (H1748): in silence, silently 

Jeremiah tells us about God’s compassion, mercies, and faithfulness. Those characteristics are the foundation to waiting on the Lord. Apostle John describes this from another angle as follows:

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 1John 4:18

God’s perfect love helps us not to be afraid or tormented. Waiting can make us feel like we will miss out on an opportunity or that we are wasting our lives by waiting. When waiting on God is coupled with confidence in His love, compassion, and mercies, we would not need to be afraid!  When we are able to be confident in God’s character, it calms our hearts, and it helps us to wait on Him patiently!

Jeremiah reminded us that God is our portion. If we wait on God, we would ultimately not lose. What He has for us if far better than anything we can attain in our own strength. God is pleased when we wait on Him, and He rewards those who wait for Him. 

I must admit I haven’t always waited patiently or silently. At times, I have complained about waiting, and at other times, I have been discouraged with waiting.  There have also been moments when I was not sure if I’m waiting on God or God is waiting on me! 

In the above scripture, Jeremiah stated that it is good for people to bear the yoke of waiting in their youth. This is something that our children and the younger generation need very badly. Many of the young people grow up in families who are capable of  providing anything they want the moment they desire it.  They may learn a lot of things, but they don’t learn the skill of waiting.

Waiting is a yoke that is worth bearing. It is important for young people to learn patience and wait for those things they desire. Sometimes they may have to work or save for it before they get it. Some parents may feel cruel to withhold things from their children. However, it is really to the children’s benefit to learn delayed gratification and not get everything they want when they desire it. When we don’t bear the yoke of waiting early in life, we grow up expecting that things should happen in our timing or something is wrong.  Hence, we get disillusioned with life, relationships, careers, ministry, etc.

If you have children dependent on you, are you helping them to learn to wait for things? How well do you wait on God?  Waiting is not easy, but we have to fight the battle by continually reminding ourselves of God’s mercies, compassion, and love towards us.  

Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day. Psalm 25:4-5

Wait (H6960): to wait, look for, hope, expect, linger, to collect, bind together, to twist, to bind. 

The word, “wait” in the above scripture is a reminder of Jesus’ words on the Sermon on the Mount.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Matthew5:6

In the natural, hunger and thirst are some of the basic needs of humanity that has to be met or people cannot function well. We are all committed to nourishing our bodies and ensuring that it does not go hungry or thirsty for too long. Similarly, those who walk with God understand the significance and the importance of being desperately hungry and thirsty for Him. Those who seek God and hunger and thirst for His righteousness, God feeds them and makes them full.  

In the above passage (Psalm 25:4-5), David is declaring his commitment and his desperation for the ways of God. He has no other place to go. He has no other option except to wait on God to show him His ways. David has bound himself to God, and he is not letting go. He is not going anywhere, and he is not quitting. The Lord is the only one with answers, so he will remain in the presence of God and seek Him until He is filled by Him.

In our culture, we have many options in every area of life whether it is grocery stores, restaurants, entertainment, cars, clothes, etc. We don’t get easily desperate for anything. We can always come up with plans B,C, or D if plan A does not work out. Therefore, waiting is not something we have to exercise to the point of desperation. However, if things were different and we only had one place to purchase food or get drink of water, we would deal with life a lot differently. We would have a greater desperation to seek after what we needed.

In truth, the Lord is our only option. The more convinced we become with that fact, the more desperately we will wait to get His insight and direction in life. We would not entertain or exercise other options. This is a test of our spiritual maturity. Are we willing to wait on God because we are convinced that He is the only answer? Or are we going to try to exercise our plan B or C until we hit our head against a wall? The former leads to being filled with the Lord and the latter will cause us to a make U-turn and possibly pay a high price for it! 

Are you desperate to Know God’s ways? Are you willing to wait for Him to show you His way? Do you see Him as your only option or have you come up with alternative plans to meet your needs? 

As children of God, waiting on Him is inevitable for us. If we are committed to walking with the Lord, we need to wait until we get our direction and instruction from Him. The truth is that there is waiting also at the natural level. However, waiting is even more significant at the spiritual level.

The good news is that the scripture has much to say about waiting on God, and we have examples of those who waited well on the Lord and those who did not. As I studied the word “wait”, I found that there several different meanings to this word. In order for us to fully appreciate the depth of “waiting,”  we need to dig a little deeper.

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Psalm 37:7

Wait Patiently (H2342): to dance, to twist, writhe, to whirl, whirl about, bear, bring forth, to wait anxiously, to be born. 

The above word “wait” is not an easy wait. The scripture tells us that while the waiting is going to be difficult, that God’s people are to wait patiently on the Lord. There is no need to fret but one can rest in the Lord. Jesus was back on the boat resting while the storm was occurring. He must have been confident that He can wait for the storm to pass, but it was His disciples that asked Him to do something.

This kind of waiting is a reminder of a pregnant woman. As much as a mother may get uncomfortable with the extra weight and sleepless nights, she would rather wait and give birth to a full-term baby rather than rush the process and risk the health of the baby. When the time for delivery comes, a pregnant woman knows that the process is not going to be easy. It may take several long hours. She has to learn to take deep breaths and relax her body as she goes through the delivery to bear the baby.

Similarly, God is doing a work in us that cannot be rushed. As much as we would like to do something about our growth and speed up the process, we cannot rush it. Most of us would prefer to mature faster and not have any struggles, but we have to go through the process with God. Our part is to obey him in the areas that He shows us, so we can stay in step with His process. We cannot, through our zeal, do more to make the process go faster.

Interestingly, as I was writing this devotional, I came face to face with a situation that caused upheaval in my soul. I started thinking of a couple of remedies in my mind. I have the choice to either rush to do something to alleviate some of the pain, or I can wait patiently to go through the process to see God’s hand move in the situation. The issue is why is it causing me so much pain!? If I get rid of the pain without allowing God to deal with the root issue, I will be back here again at some point in the future. It is difficult to be still and not do something when we are in pain, but waiting patiently allows us to give room for God to do His beautiful work!

Waiting patiently on the Lord can be frustrating for those of us who are action-oriented. In reality, our frustration shows that there is further work to be done in us to surrender more fully to the process. At the minimum, it is developing the fruit of patience in us. However, I’m sure God is doing more work than we are even aware of at this moment. Waiting and resting seem to be oxymoron. It takes faith, hope, and love to wait and rest in God. We need faith to believe that God is at work. We also have to have hope and confident expectation that He is doing a good work because He loves us and wants the best for us. 

“Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ Isaiah 58: 6-9

In the above passage, the Lord clearly articulates the kind of fast that pleases Him. First, the Lord declares that He wants people to live free from oppression. Those of us who have experienced oppression of any form understand how painful and unjust it is to be in those environments. Sometimes the oppression is a physical oppression and at other times it is an emotional or mental abuse. Nevertheless, no one likes to live under intimidation and oppression of somebody else.

The Lord expects us not to be oppressive or to lord it over people. Sometimes that comes in the form of expecting people to behave a certain way because of our status, power, or position. Sometimes, we use our privileges to show favor to those who treat us well and ignore/neglect others who are not favorable towards us. Other times, we have high expectations of others that they cannot meet, and we hold it against them. Those kinds of behaviors are oppressive and unjust, and they do not please the Lord. Just as we enjoy our freedom in Christ, we should be in the business of freeing people from our expectations and demands, so they can be free from fear of man and, hopefully, turn to God and do the right thing.

In addition, in Mark 9:29 Jesus explained that some spirits do not come out except through prayer and fasting. This shows that the Lord expects us to loose the bonds of those who are under the oppression of various demonic spirits. God has given us the power, the commission, and the anointing to set people free. Therefore, the purpose of fasting can be to bless others by seeing them freed up from various bondages and oppressing spirits.

Second, the Lord cares about helping those who are poor and have need for food, clothing, and shelter. The Lord expects us to be givers of ourselves and help those who cannot help themselves. The Good Samaritan story emphasized this passage as Jesus explained how we should define neighbors. God cares about every person on the face of the earth. That means that any person who crosses our path, they are our neighbor, and we can try to help them with our resources and abilities. When we have the opportunity to help those in need, they will look to heaven and recognize that they have a heavenly Father who sees their situation and cares about them.

The above scripture explains the kind of fast that pleases God. When we take care of those that God cares about and do it with the right heart, God promises that His light will shine on us. He will also hear people’s prayers and pay attention to their needs. In addition, those who hoped for their own healing and deliverance will receive His touch, and the Lord will heal them. 

As the last three devotionals illustrate, there is more to fasting than just abstaining from food. We should prepare our hearts and be open to what God is doing in our lives as well as those around us. This allows us to be ready to move into action and be God’s hands and feet wherever we are and whatever we are doing. 

What does God say about fasting? There are many scriptures in this regard, and the book of Matthew tells us Jesus’ thoughts on fasting. Matthew was a Jewish tax collector, and the gospel of Matthew was written to Jewish audience who understood fasting. Jesus knew that the religious zealots thought highly of themselves for their fasting habits. However, He also knew that their fast was for appearance sake to win the approval of people rather than pleasing God.

The above scripture is telling us that we should fast without fanfare and live life as normal as possible. Practically speaking, it’s a good idea to keep our fasting days less eventful and try not to make plans with others that require eating and drinking. We should make the effort not to discuss our fast with others. The Lord expects us to fast quietly and not make a show of it. If we want to impress others or win the approval of others, then we have decided having the favor of man and their approval is more important than God’s reward of intimacy and blessing. 

Make fasting something special between you and the Lord rather than advertising it to others. This is especially important when our intent in mentioning it is to prove something. We should not feel pressured to fast, but it should come out of our heart to seek the Lord. 

I will continue with this subject in the next devotional. 

To enjoy the peace of God, we must be intentional in remaining in His peace. An important factor in having a peaceful life is avoiding chaos and overcommitment. A chaotic lifestyle is not conducive to having the peace of God. Sometimes when people are overcommitted, it is because they try to avoid dealing with some serious issues in their lives. If we ignore or deny them, it will just perpetuate problems, and it will lead to a vicious cycle of anxiety and unrest.  Are you overcommitted? Is overcommitment a normal operating procedure? Do you know why you overcommit? 

The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. Isaiah 32:17

The Lord shows us that if we want to live a peaceful life, we need to stay on His path. When we do what is right in the eyes of the Lord, we don’t have to worry about getting into trouble or getting anxious about getting caught. We make commitments that we can keep. We sleep well at night, and it helps us not to have any shame or guilt for doing things wrong. A righteous life allows our mind to be quiet and our emotions settled. We also feel the confidence that God is pleased and He is with us.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Ephesians 6:14-15

God’s peace is one of the characteristics of the fruit of the spirit, and it is also a weapon in a spiritual warfare. The peace of God is our protection from the attacks of the enemy. In our spiritual journey, we should be able to experience the peace of God more and more because we have learned to deny ourselves, yield to God, and enjoy His acceptance in our lives. 

As we grow and mature in the peace of God, not only do we enjoy His peace, but we also get to share this peace with others. Living a peaceful life is seen and felt by others. When our feet are shod with the gospel of peace, we take peace wherever we go. The gospel is the good news that Jesus has come to move into our neighborhoods, and He is bringing peace with Him. He wants to make peace with people, and He desires for people to live at peace with each other. When others see the peace of God in our lives, they can begin to believe that it is possible not to live in strife or in battle with others anymore. They also realize that it’s time for them to put their natural weapons down and receive the peace of God, which they so desperately need. 

Are you more peaceful today than you were a year ago or five years ago? What needs to change for you to enjoy God’s peace? 

“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:25-27

Jesus prepared His disciples for His departure. He knew that uncertain times were coming, so He told them that they would not be left alone. The Holy Spirit was going to come alongside of them to be their helper. God was going to send the Holy Spirit to be their teacher and to remind them of all the things that Jesus spoke to them.

The Lord knew that in times of difficulty most people desire to have the support and the help of their loved ones. In addition, under pressure people focus on the problem and forget about God’s reassuring words. So the Lord allowed the Holy Spirit to come upon people and to inhabit them. They would no longer be an orphan in an insecure and selfish world. Instead, they would have the help and reassurance of the Holy Spirit to calm their storms and give them hope for their future.

It’s interesting that Jesus stated the peace He gives is not like the peace the world gives. Worldly peace is dependent on agreeable conditions. The peace the world offers is circumstantial. When things go our way, we are peaceful, but when things don’t go our way, we lose our peace. The peace the Lord gives us is relational. The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus as a dove. Doves are gentle and remain where there is peace and calmness. The peace of God is intended to remain in us through the habitation of the Holy Spirit and our relationship with Him.

All of us are prone to losing our peace. Some of us very emotional people, and we can allow our emotions to run the show and make us lose our peace. Others are very analytical and if the facts don’t add up, we can lose our peace. Others have a strong will and keep pushing for their way, and when they can’t get it, they lose their peace. Some are very perceptive, and when they see injustice, they lose their peace. In every situation, we lose our peace when we allow our soul to determine the outcome. The supernatural peace of God surpasses our feelings, thoughts, will, and perception. When we don’t have all the answers, we can still have the peace of God ruling our hearts. The peace of God is the calming force that gives us rest in life. 

Years ago, when I was in the process of returning to the Lord, in a moment of time, all my anguish and heaviness was gone. I had a magnificent encounter with the Lord that brought peace and surpassed my understanding. This was a supernatural gift from the Lord that I enjoyed very much. In that time period, there wasn’t anything in the natural that could move me and or cause me to lose my peace. These kinds of encounters give us a taste of His peace, so we can pursue Him and remain in His peace.

What are the obstacles to maintaining the peace of God in your life? I will continue with this subject in the next devotional. 

Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9:7

Isaiah prophesied about a king whose Kingdom was going to be marked with peace. The kingdoms of this world are not capable to remain in peace for any length of time, but Jesus came as the Prince of Peace to bring a different kind of Kingdom. This Kingdom operates in trusting in God and His guidance our lives. On the contrary, the kingdom of the world is only based on performance and one’s benefit to others. In the world system, the standard is arbitrary, and everything, including love, is conditional. This keeps people in an insecure and anxious state. 

Jesus set the example of how to live in peace in His Kingdom. His identity was secure in His relationship to His father. He had no need to strive or prove to others that He was the real deal. When others were mean and disrespectful to Him, He held no offense towards them.  This blocked any root of anger or bitterness to grow in His heart. As a result, He did not seek to retaliate because He had no unforgiveness towards anyone. Jesus always sought the will of the Lord, which caused Him to live a surrendered and peaceful life!

For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:6

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3

Initially, many of us experience the peace of God in a profound way.  Becoming God’s child and joining His family and Kingdom brings an overwhelming peace and joy to our hearts. However, over time our soulish life begins to creep in. As the above scriptures describe, those who have carnal mind lose the benefits of being a born again believer in this life. On the other hand, those who trust the Lord and have the mind of Christ continue to enjoy peace in their lives.

Being carnally minded comes in at least two different ways. The first is when we still have a worldly value system. This is when we measure our lives according to the ways of the world, which causes us to lose our peace. We begin to think that maybe we are sacrificing too much to be a follower of Christ. This makes us double-minded and confused. The second reason that we become carnally minded is when we try to figure things out based on our limited facts and understanding. We were not designed to lean on our own understanding. As a result, it makes us lose our peace. Leaning on our own understanding is as if expecting someone to drive a car while wearing a blindfold. That would be very unreasonable and stressful! Surprisingly, we don’t even question the flawed and dangerous habit of leaning on our understanding!

If you were to evaluate your thoughts, how often are you carnally minded? How well do you do in trusting God and not leaning on your own understanding?