Psalms 27:14: “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.”

Have you ever found yourself praying to the lord about a situation and get no response? A period of silence so long you either forgot the request altogether or began to question if it had been placed on an extended standstill. What happens next? When God appears to be slow in his response, we tend to react out fear of disappointment or old habits of self-sufficiency. We start thinking about how to make the request come to fruition. This is unwise on our part. How so?

Without complete faith in the lord, you and I cannot please him. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6   To seek counsel from an unbeliever can lead to even more problems. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” Psalms 1:1

And to be quick in action and going before the lord can cause us to miss our very blessing. “For I know the plans　I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11    Those who are followers of Christ understand that 1 of the keys to answers is to keep praying, keep hoping, keep looking, have faith, and keep getting up and getting going with God. Our faith in the lord is a gateway to all of God’s marvelous promises if only we do not doubt. I was recently reminded by the Holy Spirit that faith also comes with a prerequisite called patience, followed by waiting. I practice patience daily while trying to renew my mind in the things of God and laying aside old habits. When we wait during difficult seasons in life, we must come to accept God’s timing, not our own. There is a time for everything and a reason for every activity under the heavens. Quickly I am then reminded of the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Whatever it is we petition the lord for in prayer must line up to the will of God.

When circumstances appear overwhelming during the wait, we should cast our cares upon the lord. “Give your burdens to the lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.” This is accomplished by surrendering all that concerns you over to Jesus and not taking it back. Stop fretting over the situation while seeking his rest and peace in the matter. “My soul finds rest in God alone, my salvation comes from him, he alone is my rock and my salvation.”

Know that the enemy would love nothing more than to disturb your peace and shake your confidence in the lord. The enemy understands that as children of God you and I can ask anything of lord, and he will answer. If the adversary can steer you away from truth, he will seek to disqualify the promises of God in your mind and your heart. “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6 NIV

I encourage you to get into the word of God and establish a solid foundation with him. Don’t be deceived or discouraged. Come experience the love of God, and I promise you will never be the same again.
To experience the love of God, a relationship must be established through his son, Jesus. Allow me to extend an invitation to experience the love of God. To begin, you must first confess Jesus as lord and savior. You may ask why we need to confess. God knows what is in our heart. There is no other way to the father but through the son. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

Allow me to extend an invitation to experience his wonderful love for you. Please repeat this prayer: “Lord Jesus, forgive my sins I committed against you. I believe Jesus died for my sins and has risen again. Please come into my life and heart and lead the way. I confess you as my lord and savior from this day forward. In Jesus’ name, amen.”Welcome into the family of Christ.

Until next time, be blessed and bless others by paying it forward, send this article to every 1 you know who might need it, God has blessed you with free access to this article, so bless others along the way. Shalom. -Contributing Writer Edith Nevis