“Be still in the presence of the LORD and wait for Him to act.” Psalm 37:7a

Wait vs. Weight

Sometimes it’s easy for me to wait on the Lord, knowing He’ll bring things about in His perfect plan and His perfect timing. In these times there comes the peace that truly does pass all understanding and I’m able to focus on true, pure and lovely things (Philippians 4:6-8).

Other times, however, in my weak, fleshly attempt to wait on Him, I find myself carrying the weight of the world’s pressures and problems on my totally inept shoulders. In these times, I’m negative, despondent and watch my physical weight climb up and up as I cave into food cravings the stress produces in my body.

The wait in today’s verse is to wait longingly—which is where I find myself when I’m focused on God and who He is. I wait with a longing expectation of the great and mighty things He’s going to do in the midst of whatever situation I might find myself in.

The same root word in Jeremiah 23:19 means to twist oneself, to hurl oneself or rush violently when the LORD’s anger bursts out like a violent whirlwind. Then in Jeremiah 23:18 comes the question, “Have any of these prophets been in the Lord’s presence to hear what he is really saying: Has even one of them cared enough to listen?” This brings me back to today’s verse. He is telling me to be still in His presence and wait for Him to act, just like He was asking the prophets in Jeremiah’s time to do. They didn’t, resulting in the storm and the whirlwind of the Lord’s anger.

I honestly feel like I’m in a storm right no. Do I think it’s the Lord’s anger? No. Yet I know He’s calling me to His presence. Am I going to care enough to listen to what He has to say to me, even if I have to wait for Him to say it? I pray the answer is yes.

There are circumstances I feel need immediate attention with one of my kids and yet there is nothing happening. Phone calls, appointments seeming to get somewhere and then more waiting—wondering which choice to make in a multitude of areas in their life, and nothing. Limbo…I hate being in limbo. And yet this Scripture keeps coming back to me again and again. If I am to be still in the presence of the Lord and wait for Him to act, I have to trust that He knows and will do what is best for this child, no matter what it looks like and no matter if I can see it yet or not.

“Father God, please help us to be still in Your presence. For those of us who teeter between waiting patiently for You to act and trying to bear the weight of the world’s problems—please send Your peace and strength to choose You and Your timing. Amen.”