Waiting, Trusting, Hoping

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” - Psalm 27:14

Waiting, trusting and hoping…these three spiritual disciplines form a chain, anchoring us to Christ. All three are verbs, deliberate actions that are developed over time as we train ourselves in godliness. If our lips say, “I trust You, Lord,” while with anxious hearts we work feverishly to “fix” circumstances or situations, then that is not truly trusting God. So my question is, does your life reflect a deep and abiding trust in God’s faithfulness to you?

If we let circumstances dictate our responses, then our faith is small. The good news, however, is that faith can be grown and deepened. If you struggle with worry, fear or anxiety – finding it difficult to turn your circumstances over to the Lord – you can change…or rather, you can allow God to change you!

Perhaps the most helpful way to strengthen faith is to be reminded of Who God is and what He has promised to do:

Who is God? He is ever-present and near (Psalm 139:7-12; Jeremiah 23:23-24; Joshua 1:9); He is exalted over all (Psalm 113:4-6; Deuteronomy 4:39); He is holy and glorious (Isaiah 6:3; Numbers 14:21); He rules over all (Isaiah 66:1; Revelation 5:13); and He sees everything (Proverbs 15:3; 2 Chronicles 16:9).

What are His promises? He is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18); He answers when we call (Psalm 145:18); He vindicates His children (Isaiah 50:8); He is with us in difficult times (Isaiah 43:2); He rejoices over us (Zephaniah 3:17); He will never fail us (Deuteronomy 31:8); and He will never leave us (John 14:18).

I could go on and on about the greatness of God. If we keep the truth about Him in our minds and hearts, and on our lips, our faith will deepen. And as our faith grows we will find ourselves waiting, trusting and hoping even when we can’t see or understand what His plan is in hard times.

Waiting opens our eyes to see Him at work, proving that we trust Him. Hoping encourages our hearts, reminding us that our future is secure in Him. When waiting, trusting and hoping work together, we are able to rise above circumstances and see life as it really is – not the main event, but the warm-up act. What we have to look forward to in Christ far exceeds anything we have now. And the things that really matter now can be carried with us forever.

Father, Help me to learn to wait, trust and hope in You alone. Thank You for reminding me through Your Word of Your promises and Your character. I know that no matter what, You are faithful. 

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.