Get Alone with God, and Wait
By Rick Warren
“The Lord is good to everyone who trusts in him, so it is best for us to wait in patience — to wait for him to save us” (Lamentations 3:25-26 GNT).
When life seems to be falling apart, your most “spiritual” decision may be a surprise: Get alone with God, and wait.
The Bible says in Lamentations 3:28, “When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face. The ‘worst’ is never the worst” (MSG).
Most of us don’t know how to “enter the silence.” We’re always anxious. We don’t like to wait on God because it stresses us out. We like to be in control.
What does it mean to wait on God? You sit down, close your mouth, and just listen to God. You may read your Bible. You may pray. But most all, you’re quiet in front of God.
Anxiety comes when we’re not “waiting for hope to appear,” as Jeremiah tells us. God wants to talk to us. God wants to give us the hope we crave. But we’re often way too busy. All of our circuits are busy! When God calls, we’re on a different line.
If we want to listen to God and experience the hope he has for us, we have to get alone with him. We must “enter the silence” and be ready to hear him.
Jesus also said this in Matthew 6:6: “Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace” (MSG).
Get honest with God, and your focus will shift from just seeing your problems — no matter how overwhelming they seem — to the grace of God.
Lamentations 3:25-26 says, “The Lord is good to everyone who trusts in him, so it is best for us to wait in patience — to wait for him to save us” (GNT).
The same is true for us. No matter what obstacle you’re facing, wait for God’s timing. He’ll time your next move perfectly.
So wait and listen.
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Talk It Over
- Think of a time in your life when acting too quickly led to a disastrous outcome. What’s one truth you can draw from that experience?
- What might help you “enter the silence” with greater consistency?
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
How To Get Through What You're Going Through Study Kit
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Loss is a part of life. But it’s in your seasons of suffering that God wants to lavish his incredible grace and mercy on you – and give you the true and lasting peace that only come from him.
Pastor Rick and Kay Warren experienced the loss of their son, Matthew, whose 27-year battle with mental illness led to the tragic loss of his life. They’ve taken the lessons they learned through their own personal experiences with loss and suffering and created a resource that will help anyone navigating through a difficult season.
This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.