THE WAITING ROOM

Sunday, September 22, 2024 – Pastor George Dupree

One of the most difficult times in our lives is the waiting time. The time when you’ve prayed for God to intervene or to provide or to heal etc. and now, you’re in the waiting room. Nobody likes the waiting room.

While we’re waiting, we might get tempted to try to step in and work it out ourselves, don’t do that.

Sometimes we’re waiting because we’re not prepared for what God has prepared for us. Some people will want the promotion before the preparation, that’s backwards. First comes the preparation then comes the promotion.

Waiting is often a trial or testing of our faith. We’ve got to wait patiently; we’ve got to allow patience to have it’s perfect or complete work in us.
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

We’ve got to stay connected to the Lord; we have to draw near to God. We’ve got to draw near because He may be whispering something to us.
James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

Wait – to bind together by twisting – to expect to look, to patiently tarry, to wait for, on, upon.

Waiting on God takes strength and faith. We need grace to wait, and God gives us grace.
James 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore, He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

While we’re waiting, we may get discouraged or we may lose heart because it seems as if nothing is happening but remember that while we’re waiting God is working on and in us
Psalms 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

While we’re waiting, we may believe the lie that says God doesn’t even care – God does care and He gives us strength in the waiting
Isaiah 40:27 O Jacob, how can you say the LORD does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Don’t let go of your faith – stay in the Word because faith comes by the Word
Don’t complain – In everything give thanks, this is God’s will for you

You have choices while you’re waiting.

You can worry or worship
You can panic or pray
You can retreat or repeat the promises of God
You can run away or run to God
You can give in to flight or you can choose to fight