He wants to keep us from waiting on God, from trusting God. He wants to keep us from experiencing the goodness of God even in our times of waiting. So he tells us lies. And when we believe the lies, the waiting can become even harder. Sometimes, we believe the lies without even realizing it. Maybe in our heads we know that we can trust God’s timing and plan, but in our hearts some doubts stir, and cause us to lose hope and joy. When the lies are whispered (or shouted), when the doubts stir, we need to stand on the promises and truth of God. For in His Word, God gives promises to those who wait on Him. Promises of goodness and hope and joy. And God is faithful to keep His promises. We can trust Him. We can wait on Him with assurance. Here are some lies the enemy tells us, has told me, and the truth we can stand on and wait in: The Lie: the time of waiting is wasted The Truth: nothing is wasted when given to God Times of waiting can feel like wasted time, with no point or purpose. The enemy wants us to believe the time is wasted, because he wants us to waste the time. He wants us to spend times of waiting on stuff that really doesn’t matter. But nothing is wasted when it is given to God. When we wait on Him, we can know that He is using this time, working for good and weaving beauty in it. “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 The Lie: life will only begin when the wait is over The Truth: God has life and purpose for you right now Along with believing times of waiting are wasted, we can also believe our life will only really begin when the waiting is over; only when we’ve gotten married, or finished college, or the prayer has been answered, or the healing taken place. God has a full life for you right now. A life full of joy and peace and goodness and beauty through a relationship with Him. He has a purpose for you right now, even if you feel like you’re waiting to find out what that purpose is. We don’t have to wait for the wait to be over to live a full life in Jesus and for Jesus. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.” Philippians 2:13 The Lie: you’re missing out
The Truth: God has abundance for you right now As we wait for something, we can feel like we’re missing out on something - some sort of happiness or goodness or love or fulfillment. This lie is often connected with comparing our lives to other’s as we see them get the thing we’re still waiting for. The enemy wants to take our eyes off of what we do have and focus them on what we don’t have, causing jealousy, ingratitude, and discontent. Believing that we’re missing out causes us to miss out on the abundant good God has for us right now. Because God does have joy and goodness and love and fulfillment for you in this very season. It’s all found in Him, not in the thing you’re waiting for. “Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6 “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 The Lie: God doesn’t see you, or hear you, or care about you The Truth: God watches over you, listens to you, and loves you The enemy will use “logic” to lie to us. If God feels distant, if He isn’t answering your prayers, if He’s not yet given you what you’re waiting for, it must be because He doesn’t see or hear or care about you, right? But Scripture tells us that God not only sees us, He watches over us. He not only hears us, He listens to us. He not only cares about us, He loves us so, so, so, so much. “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 The Lie: You’re not good enough to receive what you’re waiting for The Truth: It’s not about your goodness, but God’s perfect goodness working in you Maybe you wonder if the reason you haven’t received what you’re waiting for is because you’re not good enough for it and you don’t deserve it. On our own, we could never be good enough to deserve all that God has given us. We could never do enough good to earn His gifts. It’s not about our goodness, but God’s goodness working in us. It’s not because we’re imperfect that we wait, but because His timing and plan are perfect, so we wait on Him. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” Jeremiah 29:11 “This is what the Lord says: ‘At just the right time, I will respond to you.’” Isaiah 49:8 I don’t know what it is that you’re waiting for, but God does, and you can trust Him. His promises are true.
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