Grace Notes // The Promises of God Week 2

Promise of Renewed Strength 

Written By Keli Miller

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is the tree of life.” 

Proverbs 13:12

Woof, I feel this. My heart is sick with deferred hope. Seasons of waiting feel like planting a seed in a garden. You sow your seed of hope and nurture it. “Watering” it through prayer and petition, waiting for it to sprout and grow. Sometimes it gets so hot and we wonder if our seed of hope will ever shoot up or if it has died in the heat. Sometimes we wait so long we forget where we even planted the little guy.  I think one of the most frustrating things about waiting is the doubt that sneaks in. I can think that I have heard from the Lord and have clear direction but when I’m thrown into a season of extended waiting, I begin to doubt. Waiting can make our heart sick, but a longing fulfilled will be our tree of life. Our seed of hope will eventually shoot up, and when it does it will be like a tree of life. 

There is purpose in the process.

This year I’ve been going through the Bible Recap’s chronological reading plan. I just finished reading Joshua and the Isralites are now mostly settled into the Promised Land. After 40 years in wilderness, waiting for what was promised I read this verse: 

“None of the good promises the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed. Everything was fulfilled.” 

Joshua 21:45

I’m sure when Moses and the Israelites left Egypt they thought they'd be to the Promised Land by sunset. Or at least close to it. And yet, it was 40 wild years that they spent waiting on what was promised. And not one second of that time was wasted. When it was all said and done, they did not miss out on a single one of God’s promises. 

There’s a promise for us in the seasons of waiting. Isaiah 40:31 says, “Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength.”  God never wastes anything. Even in our seasons of waiting or delay, He is doing something beautiful. This past Sunday, Pastor Chris highlighted 3 ways that waiting can lead to our strengthening:

Waiting exposes what’s in our hearts. 

When we are forced to wait and sit in uncertainty, our actual thought patterns and beliefs are exposed. Seasons of extended waiting will reveal who is actually King of our hearts. This exposure of our true self leads to strengthening.

Waiting refines our focus. 

Waiting isn’t a passive process but one of preparation. Waiting is about leaning into your current season. Have you been faithful with what you have? What seeds have you planted? God is preparing and growing something in you. Don’t despise it, but care for it. Water the seed he has planted in you and watch it grow. 

Waiting grows our courage. 

It takes courage to wait. Especially, in our “do-it-yourself”, instant gratification culture, delaying is a more courageous act than achieving. Right now, there is not much we can do to speed up this process of waiting. It takes courage to declare hope in the face of uncertainty. Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart. Wait for the lord.”

God is growing a people who aren’t afraid to wait and His promise for them is renewed strength.

Processing:

What are you waiting on God for?

What has waiting exposed in your own heart? 

How has God been preparing you? 

How can we speak hope and encouragement while we wait? 

In the Word: 

Isaiah 40:28-31 

Hebrews 10:30-36 

Psalm 27:13-14