Life Principle 14
God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. (Is 64:4)
God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. (Is 64:4)
Life’s Questions
Waiting is not fun. Each day you wake up hoping for some tidbit of good news, but it doesn’t come or you receive a negative report, and you see longer delays ahead. It can be very frustrating. No wonder Proverbs 13:12 tells us, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” The longer you wait to see your desire fulfilled, the more discouraged your heart grows. That is, of course, unless your hope and trust are centered exclusively on Christ. One of the most difficult lessons that you will learn is to wait on God. However, it is crucial that you understand how truly important waiting on Him is. Life Principle 14 explains, God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. If you want God’s very best for your life, you must trust Him to provide it in His time. His knowledge of you and your situation are absolutely perfect—and so is His timing. He is going to make sure that you are completely prepared for the blessings that He has for you. Therefore, make sure to keep your eyes on Him.
*** Isaiah ministered to Judah from 740 BC to 681 BC, and he prophesied about the Babylonian captivity which would begin a century later in 597 BC. The Babylonians would also destroy the temple in Jerusalem (see Isa. 63:18) in 586 BC. In Isaiah 63:7–64:12, the prophet thanks God for His mercy in delivering the church from the Babylonian captivity.
What the Bible Says
Read Isaiah 63:7–14. How does Isaiah describe God (7–9)?
How did the people respond to God’s kindness (10)?
Why does God discipline His people (10; see also Heb. 12:5–11)?
What did the people do after God disciplined them (11–13)?
Read Isaiah 63:15–19. How did the people of Judah feel as they were held captive in Babylon? When have you felt this way?
Read Isaiah 64:1–4. What did Isaiah ask God to do (1–3)? What other hope was there for the people (4)?
What It Means
It is true that God was preparing His judgment for the kingdom of Judah, but He was also arranging the deliverance of the people who remained obedient to Him. Their only hope was to wait on God to rescue them from their captors. Thankfully, it was a sure hope, and God was faithful to bring them back to Jerusalem when the time was right and their hearts had turned back to Him (see Ezra and Nehemiah). As God promises in Isaiah 49:23, “You will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”
Life Examples
Read Isaiah 40:27–31. What are you waiting for? Do you ever feel that your situation is “hidden from the LORD” (27)?
What does God do for you as you wait (see v. 29)?
*** When you wait for the Lord, you should look forward to what He will do with joyful expectation and confident hope, because He is providing His very best for you.
God understands how difficult the delays are for you (30). How does this encourage you?
What promise does God make to you if you commit yourself to waiting for Him (31)?
Living the Principle
During your season of waiting, you may feel somewhat lost, discouraged, and unmotivated. You may also feel as if God has forgotten you. He has not. God is always at work, and at this very moment He is engineering your situation to provide His very best for you. In fact, He is lining up your circumstances in a way that is better than you could ever imagine (see Eph. 3:20–21), and you are going to be completely blessed when you see what He has done for you.
However, you must be patient until His plan comes together in His perfect timing. Do not run ahead of God! The delays may be very challenging for you, but they are growing your faith in Him. After all, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Heb. 11:1). Therefore, look to Him, strengthen yourself in His Word and love, and remain confident that He is working on your behalf. Of course, you may be wondering, What does God want me to do during this waiting time? Am I just supposed to sit around and do nothing? Absolutely not! Waiting on God simply means that you continue in your present position until He gives you further instructions. As long as you are obeying Him, you will continue on the correct course.
*** My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.... Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. (Ps. 62:5–6, 8)
How will you live out Life Principle 14 this week? Discuss times that you’ve waited for God to work and describe how He acted on your behalf. Then spend time in prayer, asking God to draw you into intimate communion with Himself and to transform your life, so that you can affect the world for the sake of His kingdom.
Life Lessons to Remember
When we wait, we discover God’s will in the areas that most concern us (see Isa. 30:18).
When we wait, we receive supernatural physical energy and strength (see Ps. 27:13–14).
When we wait, we win battles (see Ps. 59:9–10).
When we wait, we see the fulfillment of our faith (see Ps. 33:20–21).
When we wait, we see God working on our behalf (see Ps. 40:1–3).
Waiting is not fun. Each day you wake up hoping for some tidbit of good news, but it doesn’t come or you receive a negative report, and you see longer delays ahead. It can be very frustrating. No wonder Proverbs 13:12 tells us, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” The longer you wait to see your desire fulfilled, the more discouraged your heart grows. That is, of course, unless your hope and trust are centered exclusively on Christ. One of the most difficult lessons that you will learn is to wait on God. However, it is crucial that you understand how truly important waiting on Him is. Life Principle 14 explains, God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. If you want God’s very best for your life, you must trust Him to provide it in His time. His knowledge of you and your situation are absolutely perfect—and so is His timing. He is going to make sure that you are completely prepared for the blessings that He has for you. Therefore, make sure to keep your eyes on Him.
*** Isaiah ministered to Judah from 740 BC to 681 BC, and he prophesied about the Babylonian captivity which would begin a century later in 597 BC. The Babylonians would also destroy the temple in Jerusalem (see Isa. 63:18) in 586 BC. In Isaiah 63:7–64:12, the prophet thanks God for His mercy in delivering the church from the Babylonian captivity.
What the Bible Says
Read Isaiah 63:7–14. How does Isaiah describe God (7–9)?
How did the people respond to God’s kindness (10)?
Why does God discipline His people (10; see also Heb. 12:5–11)?
What did the people do after God disciplined them (11–13)?
Read Isaiah 63:15–19. How did the people of Judah feel as they were held captive in Babylon? When have you felt this way?
Read Isaiah 64:1–4. What did Isaiah ask God to do (1–3)? What other hope was there for the people (4)?
What It Means
It is true that God was preparing His judgment for the kingdom of Judah, but He was also arranging the deliverance of the people who remained obedient to Him. Their only hope was to wait on God to rescue them from their captors. Thankfully, it was a sure hope, and God was faithful to bring them back to Jerusalem when the time was right and their hearts had turned back to Him (see Ezra and Nehemiah). As God promises in Isaiah 49:23, “You will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”
Life Examples
Read Isaiah 40:27–31. What are you waiting for? Do you ever feel that your situation is “hidden from the LORD” (27)?
What does God do for you as you wait (see v. 29)?
*** When you wait for the Lord, you should look forward to what He will do with joyful expectation and confident hope, because He is providing His very best for you.
God understands how difficult the delays are for you (30). How does this encourage you?
What promise does God make to you if you commit yourself to waiting for Him (31)?
Living the Principle
During your season of waiting, you may feel somewhat lost, discouraged, and unmotivated. You may also feel as if God has forgotten you. He has not. God is always at work, and at this very moment He is engineering your situation to provide His very best for you. In fact, He is lining up your circumstances in a way that is better than you could ever imagine (see Eph. 3:20–21), and you are going to be completely blessed when you see what He has done for you.
However, you must be patient until His plan comes together in His perfect timing. Do not run ahead of God! The delays may be very challenging for you, but they are growing your faith in Him. After all, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Heb. 11:1). Therefore, look to Him, strengthen yourself in His Word and love, and remain confident that He is working on your behalf. Of course, you may be wondering, What does God want me to do during this waiting time? Am I just supposed to sit around and do nothing? Absolutely not! Waiting on God simply means that you continue in your present position until He gives you further instructions. As long as you are obeying Him, you will continue on the correct course.
*** My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.... Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. (Ps. 62:5–6, 8)
How will you live out Life Principle 14 this week? Discuss times that you’ve waited for God to work and describe how He acted on your behalf. Then spend time in prayer, asking God to draw you into intimate communion with Himself and to transform your life, so that you can affect the world for the sake of His kingdom.
Life Lessons to Remember
When we wait, we discover God’s will in the areas that most concern us (see Isa. 30:18).
When we wait, we receive supernatural physical energy and strength (see Ps. 27:13–14).
When we wait, we win battles (see Ps. 59:9–10).
When we wait, we see the fulfillment of our faith (see Ps. 33:20–21).
When we wait, we see God working on our behalf (see Ps. 40:1–3).