Waiting for anything can be so hard. I don’t like to wait—for my computer to boot up, for the light to turn green, for the oven to preheat, or for a scheduled call to come in. Waiting can seem like such a waste of time, especially when I have so much to do. It’s so hard to sit still. But without a doubt, waiting on the Lord is the most difficult of all. Waiting for His promise to be fulfilled, for my prayer to be answered, for a door to open … His delays can seem so tedious.

If, like me, you are waiting on the Lord for something He has promised, watch out! Guard the temptation to take matters into your own hands or run ahead of Him. Impatience is risky and more than likely will result in delay, disappointment and even disaster.

THE RISKS OF WAITING IMPATIENTLY

• What did God promise to Abraham? Give phrases from Genesis 12:2, 7 and 13:16.
• What information was added to the promise God gave to Abraham, in Genesis 15:1-6?
• What was the evidence of Abraham’s impatience, in Genesis 16:1-4?
• What was the result of Abraham’s impatience, in Genesis 16:4-16?
• What phrases in Genesis 21:1-7 indicate that Ishmael was not the son God had promised to Abraham?
• How many years did Abraham’s impatience postpone the fulfillment of God’s promise? Compare Genesis 16:16 with 21:5.
• In Psalm 106:6-15, how did God’s people grow impatient? What was the result?
• What are you waiting on? Are you being tempted to take matters into your own hands? What are you risking by being impatient? Read Isaiah 50:10-11.

THE REWARDS OF WAITING PATIENTLY

Serenity

• In order to wait patiently, what must we do, according to Psalm 5:1-3 and 130:5-6?
• How does the knowledge that God’s plans are fixed relieve you of worry as you wait? Read Psalm 33:11; Habakkuk 2:3; and Romans 8:28.
• When waiting on God, what replaces our stress? Read Galatians 5:5; Psalm 33:20; 37:3-7; 40:1-3; and Romans 8:22-25.
• How does knowledge of God’s character help us wait patiently? See Lamentations 3:19-26.

Strength

• When waiting on the Lord, what does He promise? See Psalm 37:23-24 and Isaiah 64:4-5.
• While waiting, what does the Apostle Paul’s prayer in Colossians 1:9-12 reveal that we need?
• What was Solomon’s testimony in 1 Kings 8:54-61?
• In Numbers 9:15-23, how did God train His people to wait on Him?
• How do you think this training strengthened the people?
• How is God training you to wait on Him?

Success

• What had God promised to David, in 1 Samuel 16:1-13?
• From Saul’s comment in 1 Samuel 17:33, estimate how old David was when he was anointed by Samuel as king of Israel.
• Read 2 Samuel 5:4-5. Approximately how long did David have to wait until he reigned as king over Israel?
• How did David resist the temptation to take matters into his own hands in 1 Samuel 24:1-22?
• In the end, how was David’s waiting rewarded?
• From Acts 7:30, 33-34, how long did Moses wait before God used him to deliver His people from bondage?
• How was Moses’ waiting rewarded in Exodus 14:10-14, 23-31?
• What promise did Jesus give to all of His followers, for which we are still waiting? Read Mark 13:26-27; John 14:1-3: Acts 1:9-11; and Titus 2:13.
• How will our patience be rewarded? Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and Revelation 19:11-16.
• If you have resisted the temptation to be impatient, yet are still waiting, what encouragement do you receive from Exodus 14:13-14? Isaiah 30:18? James 5:7? Psalm 27:13-14? Daniel 12:12? Luke 2:25-35? And 1 Corinthians 4:5?

Wait, I say, on the Lord! (Psalm 27:14). ©2017 Anne Graham Lotz

 

Anne Graham Lotz has proclaimed God’s Word worldwide for more than 30 years. Her latest book, The Daniel Prayer, and the accompanying video Bible study, is available from major booksellers.