Hold On
Sometimes God gives me messages in the most unique places. One of my favorite is in the quietness of a bubble bath. I think it’s because I’m finally still enough to listen.
As I was pouring out my heart to God the hot bath gave me space to cry and let it all go. Sometimes I just need a good cry and when I’m all cried out, I’m in a place when all I can do it listen.
When I had finally reached that place a song played that said, “Hold on. Your answer is coming. The breakthrough is almost here.” It was one of those moments that I knew was a message from God.
As always the message was perfectly timed as I was telling God how I planned on handling a couple of situations and the words that I wanted to say. His reply to hold on and wait prevented me from taking matters into my own hands and possibly saying words that I would later regret.
My bible study that day had been about the nation of Israel wanting a king and how their desire to have their own way instead of waiting for God’s timing, turned out. It asked two questions:
- Think of a time when you insisted on having your own way, but it turned out to be a big mistake. Describe how the “King” of your own desires treated you?
- How would it affect your next big battle of wills if you approached it with patience, waiting long enough to see what God really wants to do in this situation?
A person after God’s own heart will wait upon the Lord. David understood the need to wait upon the Lord and His timing. Unlike King Saul who had been told to wait and decided that he couldn’t wait any longer. He took matters into his own hands and shortly after he did, Samuel arrived as promised. In his impatience to hold on a little longer, he sinned greatly and it ended in his kingdom being torn away from him.
In contrast David declared, “May I be certain of seeing Your goodness come to pass in my current situation, whether in triumph and victory or in loss and turmoil, as I experience your mighty supply of grace and power sustaining me. Because of Your spirit’s life at work in me, I will wait for You, Lord, courageous and with a strong heart. Yes, Lord, I will wait on You.”
I was so grateful for God’s words to hold on. I haven’t seen the answers yet, but I know that He will take care of every detail and I won’t live with regret for words and actions that might have been taken.
My Prayer
Father, thank you for another timely word of encouragement. Thank you for keeping me from taking matters into my own hands. I know that You will handle these situations and however You choose to do that will be the right way. Thank you for biblical examples of both outcomes. Those who held on and waited and those who didn’t. Let me become a person after Your own heart who waits upon You Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Where does my help come from?
Psalm 27:14
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”