Waiting
"Those who hopefully wait for Me, will not be put to shame." Isaiah 49:23
Waiting is not a word that people generally enjoy hearing. Things that first come to mind when we hear the word "wait" are a long line to check out at the grocery store, being on hold with a customer service rep, or perhaps it's the waiting in traffic on your way to work. These are not circumstances we get excited about, but God views waiting in a totally different perspective.
When a Christian waits on God it's not to be a long, torturous process in our lives. Waiting for God should be like this verse says - hopeful. We can be hopeful when we wait for God because, after all, God is the problem answerer, He's the miracle worker, He's the body healer, He's the strength-renewer, and much more.... and the Bible says here that the person who hopefully waits for Him won't be put to shame, they won't be neglected or forgotten about.
Most Full-Gospel believers don't realize that the Greek word translated "hope" in the New Testament means to "wait expectantly with a cheerful anticipation of a coming good". And as Pastor Mark puts it: "It is the time period from when you believe God heard and answered your prayer until the time it shows up in the natural realm". That is Bible hope.
God has promised to be the faithful answerer of the hopeful, of the one who trusts in Him continually throughout the entire waiting period. So I encourage you today to grab a hold of God's perspective of waiting. Don't begrudgingly go about your day to day life playing the "waiting game" - waiting on this answer, waiting on that word, waiting on that healing, or that prosperity. God already has your answers stored up in heaven, so don't wait with a discontent heart. Wait in hope. Wait in faith. Wait in joy. Wait happily! Wait knowing your God is a mighty God, who won't put you to shame, and who has your answer on the way today!
"..now abides faith, hope, and love" I Corinthians 13:13
Love,
Brittany Smith