Does God Really Expect Us To Sit On Our Hands and Wait?

Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. - Psalm 27:14 (NIV)

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. - Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)

Let me put a little spin on the phrase "wait for the LORD." I've always understood it to mean, "Sit around, pray and just wait for God to move."

In both Psalm 27:14 and Isaiah 40:31, the Hebrew word is קוה (qâvâh), which is better defined as "expect" (or, as the NIV renders it in Isaiah 40:31, "hope"). In other words, EXPECT the Lord! Be strong, be courageous, and expect God! Go do what He has called you to do, and know that He is with you. After all, God is our "ever-present help" when trouble comes (Ps. 46:1).

There is a time to wait for God to move. "I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in him" (Isaiah 8:17, NIV). However, I do not personally believe the Lord is "hiding His face."

So... what is it God is calling you to do? Whatever service He has designed for you, go and do it, knowing He is right there with you the whole way.