They Who Wait

But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength… (Isaiah 40:31)

The capacity to delay gratification is an essential character trait for personal success. All successful individuals and successful cultures have this trait. They have learned to invest energy for a protracted time in order to reap the best rewards possible.

Conversely, all failures in life — both for individuals and cultures — have no patience to wait for the best results. They want an immediate reward, so this leads to poor decisions, undisciplined lifestyles, and many personal and societal disasters.

In spiritual matters this is also an essential character trait. The Spirit works patient endurance into our lives — “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience…” (Gal. 5:22). No matter how wonderful the joy and peace of God are to our souls, they are impossible to maintain without his gift of patience. Peace, in fact, is only as good as the patience that guards it.

“In rest and silence shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). The strength of God is made perfect in our weakness, not in our rashness. We must invest in the things of God, become people of notable Christian character, before we try to leap in front of others and lead them. Leaders especially need the knowledge of their weakness and of the strength of God, that only patient waiting can teach.

Violent men dash themselves to pieces by their own eagerness, but the vigor of godly men, though it has less display, and often appears to lie buried while they calmly “wait for” God’s assistance, is refreshed and renewed. (John Calvin)

Waiting is different from passivity. The passive person is not necessarily patient, rather he never intends to act. He is apathetic of the problems and difficulties of the world. He is withdrawn, not caring enough to be engaged. The patient person is prone toward action, but it is wise action, laying foundations rather than building shaky constructions on the sand. (Mathew 7:24–27)

The patient person who follows the leadership of the Spirit also knows the true opportune moment, and he acts with integrity and strategy for the glory of God. Christ said, “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does” (John 5:19). Christ invested his first thirty years into developing the relationship and the knowledge necessary to be the Christ of the World.

By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established. (Prov. 24:3)

Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. (Prov. 4:7, New Living Translation)

This past week I spoke with a young man who grew up in a church I pastored. He is now active in his career and was just tested in his integrity. His supervisor ordered him to do something unethical to falsify reports. His integrity held and he refused to sign a false report. He had invested time in building his life on a firm foundation of Christ and his teachings. This is the person the scripture spoke of when it says, “For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity” (Prov. 24:16).