London » HOPE: the courage to wait.

What makes waiting so hard?

Psalm 27:13-14:

13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!

We mentioned the first five themes for the Single-Minded conference we are speaking at, beginning tomorrow near London: confidence, vision, beautyworship. and consistency. The final theme:

#6 Hope: the courage to wait (Psalm 27:13-14).

We all are waiting for something. Not just singles. But it is true that many perhaps deep down still have the ache and longing for that glorious counterpart hand-picked by God. Whether waiting for a wedding or a job or a ministry opportunity or a change of scenery, we spend much of our life waiting. So we must learn how to do it well. God’s word is replete with exhortations to wait, and wait well. Will we wait on God or wait on circumstances? What is the difference and how can we tell? Here we’ll learn how to wait for the Lord with expectancy without expectation. With confidence and security we can be strong and let our hearts take courage and wait, wait for the LORD.

Married people can tell us how waiting for a spouse is a fruitless endeavor, for both husbands or wives make awful gods. Single people are not ‘waiting’ for their life to be meaningful, as if having a spouse is the end-game. (Or being in a relationship is all that matters.) Waiting for the LORD is the true joy; and because our Maker is our Husband, we can daily encounter the most loving, generous, courageous, and supportive spouse ever.

As Kari frequently writes, there is a world of difference between having expectations and living in expectancy.