Strengthened While Waiting
Psalm 27: 1, 14
(King James Version)
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Wait on the Lord: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart.
Wait, I say, on the Lord.
Waiting can be oftentimes become an emotional challenge for us all. Picture small children anticipating desired gifts leading up to Christmas day. Imagine the patient who has taken a battery of tests at the hospital, and how that patient fights to remain calm while waiting for the results. Consider how so many of us have been annoyed by something or even someone at our jobs, and find ourselves just waiting for the week-end in order to get a break from the turmoil! Well. Here is some amazing news for those of us who have decided to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and to live our lives “in Christ”! That news is that like David, we are strengthened by God’s power while we are waiting for expected results.
David was pretty unique. He was skillful at playing the lyre; he possessed valor, defeating a lion and a bear; and he was humble, taking seriously the task of attending to his father’s sheep. These traits were developing while David constantly communicated with God. While dealing with struggles and waiting for the moving of God’s hand, David was being strengthened. Keep in mind that he spent a good deal of time as a fugitive; avoiding a jealous Saul, hiding from his son Absalom and fighting Philistines. His headquarters were reduced to a cave in a mountainous region, while he was being hunted like an animal. David waited on God to change the circumstances, to flip the script, and to set him free. We can certainly relate to those feelings. But here is the great news: While he was waiting, he was actually being strengthened! While being in charge of the men who were with him, he was developing administrative skills. While determining how to avoid the enemy and remain alive, he was developing brilliant military strategies. In order to obtain provisions from others, he became skillful in diplomacy. All of this occurred because he constantly sought God for direction, for comfort, for assurance and for strength. In other words, David’s total confidence was in the Lord.
David answers three questions in his testimony of these two verses.
- Who is the Lord? He is my light, my salvation and my strength.
- What part do I play while waiting? I must remain courageous.
- What results shall I expect? He will strengthen me in the inner man. (Ephesians 3:16) There is no need to look any further!
Know this, child of God: Even when facing your Philistines and threatening circumstances, you are being strengthened in the waiting period. Expect Him to move on your behalf, and like David, share your testimony of victory with others.