“Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.”
—Psalm 27:14    

Reflection

There are moments when circumstances suddenly change and fear, panic, and worry try to enter our hearts. In those moments, our natural tendency can be to rush around, immediately start looking for solutions, and take matters into our own hands. But sometimes that is not God’s way.

When our congregation was suddenly told that the building we were meeting in had been sold and we had only thirty days to move, I felt blindsided. I went to the Lord and prayed. I had waited on Him for inner transformation, and as a result, I had more peace, power, and authority in my life than ever before. It was tangible and real. He anchored me and changed me on the inside. I determined that I would now wait on Him and see Him act in my outer world.

I refused to let fear, panic, or worry enter into my heart.

My natural tendency would have been to rush and look for a new building immediately. Instead, I knew the Lord wanted me to trust Him and wait upon Him. Yet as the days passed and we still had no building, my faith began to shrink. Questions came: Have I been irresponsible? What kind of leader am I? Should I have handled this differently?

But the Lord was teaching me something deeper: You have obeyed Me to the end in this. You did not panic. You trusted Me. You did not take matters into your own hands or act on your own initiative. You waited on Me.

Even after one apparent answer came, another obstacle arose, and fear hit me full force. My faith was fighting the fear. I went back into the prayer room and sought the Lord.

Then God moved.

The property He ultimately led us to was just right for us. Looking back, I thank God that I did not take the matter into my own hands, fretting and trying to do things in my own wisdom and strength.

Beloved, no matter what we are going through, God will take care of it. The Father wants to prove Himself faithful in our lives. We do not have to respond to circumstances the way the world responds, with panic, fear, and frantic striving.

We can wait on Him.

When we trust Him to do the work, He will accomplish great things.

Application

• When fear pressures you to react immediately, refuse to panic. Seek the Lord and ask Him whether He is calling you to act or simply to wait upon Him.
• Resist taking matters into your own hands through fear. Trust that the Father is involved and wants to prove Himself faithful in your life.

Prayer

Father, help me not to give fear, panic, or worry a place in my heart. When circumstances pressure me to take matters into my own hands, teach me to trust You and wait upon You. Anchor me on the inside so that I can remain at peace while I wait to see You act in my outer world. Strengthen my faith when fear comes against me, and keep me from relying on my own wisdom and strength. Father, I trust You to go before me and prove Yourself faithful in my life. In Messiah Jesus’ name, amen.