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Waiting is an unavoidable part of life that disturbs and sickens the heart.
Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12)
We naturally hate having to wait for bad seasons to end; and good seasons to begin. Waiting makes us miserable.
Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be? (Ecclesiastes 8:6,7)
Because waiting is so vexing to our spirit, no one chooses to wait; we are made to wait.
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope (Romans 8:19,20)
As they wait for things to change, apart from the solution that God has provided, the world has no real hope.
That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world (Ephesians 2:12)
Because the redeemed still live in this world and in this mortal body, they also must wait for the redemption of the body.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Rom. 8:22,23)
Although we groan for what will be, but is not yet, the blessed hope we have enables us to wait with patience.
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. (Romans 8:24,25)
The wicked imagine a vain thing that will not come to pass.
The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. (Proverbs 10:28)
The eyes of the wicked fail. The good they hope to see does not materialize.
But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost. (Job 11:20)
The hope of the unsaved is a dead hope. The hope of the saved is a “living hope” that will not be disappointed.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
The confident expectation of the righteous strengthens and encourages their heart to wait on God for good things.
I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. (Psalm 27:13,14)
There are times when the patience of the saints can falter. The situation they face can produce despair.
For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. (Psalm 31:22-24)
Even the patience of Job was tried as he began to lose hope. Our hope must rest on (i.e., be supported by) something greater than what our eyes see and our heart feels.
He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths. He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head. He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree. He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies. (Job 19:8-11)
When our situation looks bleak, and our heart is under attack, to endure the night, the way we feel must be met with a solid hope.
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. (Psalm 42:7-11)
Job’s patience did not mean his soul was unaffected by trouble; it meant he “waited in obedience” for the good end God had in store.
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. (Job 23:10-12)
Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. (James 5:10,11)
To be “patient in spirit” requires us to look forward in hope, knowing that God has a blessed end in store for us.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. (Ecclesiastes 7:8)
God always has good up His sleeve for His own. He aims to make us glad with a “final chapter” beyond all we asked for or imagined.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20,21)
There will be no disappointed saints in eternity.
… Ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. (Isaiah 45:17)
It is possible to “cast away our confidence” and not receive the end God has in mind for us. To receive God’s promises we must continue to walk in faith that at the “appointed time” we will see what we now hope for.
Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 10:35-11:1)
substance > Greek – hupostasis > KJV – confidence 2, confident 1, person 1, substance 1; 5
– a setting or placing under; thing put under, substructure, foundation – that which has foundation, is firm
– that which has actual existence; a substance, real being
– the substantial quality, nature, of a person or thing
– the steadfastness of mind, firmness, courage, resolution – confidence, firm trust, assurance
The foundation of our hope is our faith; the foundation of our patience is our hope.
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end (Hebrews 3:14)
Hope that has its basis in faith is integral to having the patience to see God’s vision realized.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:3,4)
God’s faithful people count God faithful to remember them and reward their love toward Him. Their faith and patience enables them to diligently wait for the good He has promised them.
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:10-12)