When I got up this morning, I checked the news, as I am sure many of you did to see if the outcome of the election had been determined.  What an extraordinary week it has been.  Most of all though, I feel like I want my focus to be about waiting on God, not the outcome of the election, the numbers of COVID, the economy or anything outside of me that might shake my confidence.

The biblical perspective of waiting on God comes with hope and peace.  It involves the passage of time, which is itself a gift of God. The word wait in the Bible carries the idea of confident expectation and hope. I know that someone will be president.  I know that a vaccine is being developed.  I know the economy will get better.

I am not minimizing the waiting.  However, I can do things in the meantime while I wait.

The following scripture in Psalms 62:5-7 TPT reminds me of the things I can do, especially if I get anxious or worried.

I am standing in absolute stillness, silent before the one I love,
waiting as long as it takes for him to rescue me.
Only God is my Savior, and he will not fail me.
For he alone is my safe place.
His wrap-around presence always protects me
as my champion defender.
There’s no risk of failure with God!
So why would I let worry paralyze me,
even when troubles multiply around me?
God’s glory is all around me!
His wrap-around presence is all I need,
for the Lord is my Savior, my hero, and my life-giving strength.

Stand in absolute stillness before God

As I wait, you and I can stand still before God and listen for Him.  Let the clutter of the mind flow off and out and become still. Be still and know that I am God.

Wait for His rescue

My job is to wait and see what He does.  You can tell Him what is on your heart but you don’t have to make it happen unless directed by Him to do something.  It takes the striving off your shoulders.

Remember His wrap-around presence protects

I have found as I pray, I get a sense of being wrapped in His arms.  The praying and waiting go together.  The waiting can be a part of His protection.

Not paralyzed by worry

Worry comes from one part of your brain – the fight or flight area.  Peace, hope and calmness come from another section of your brain, the prefrontal cortex.  As you focus on God, the worry ceases to have control.  I have found that breath prayer and meditation calm my worry and anxiety and my thinking becomes clearer.

Lean into God as life-giving strength

Because you wait, you begin to see His hand, strengthening, restoring and transforming. Awareness of where God is at work comes from praying, trusting and waiting.

My prayer for you in the waiting

God,

Help us stand in absolute stillness before You,

waiting as long as it takes to be rescued and to see Your hand at work.

God, You have said, “All the strength and power you need flows from Me!”

Thank you for Your wrap-around presence as we wait on You.

Amen

Praying for you as you go about your day to day living.  You can download this lectio divina, a prayer reading of Psalm 62:-5-7  that you may find helpful as you wait on God.

Let me know of any way I can continue to pray for you specifically by replying to this blog.

Praying and waiting with you!

Nancy