The Lost Art Of Waiting On The Lord (Part 2)

Have you ever considered that part of waiting on the Lord is being content in the Lord?  That’s another principle that we don’t like to really practice in our lives, right?  I know I don’t!

I like how one person (can’t remember who) defined contentment - ‘wanting what you already have’.  That’s great isn’t it?  And so very true!  So often we don’t wait on the Lord because we are not truly content in Him.  We are wanting something we don’t have yet, rather than being content with the Lord, His plan, purposes or provision.

We see an example of this with the children of Israel in the desert.  The psalmist in Ps 106.13-14 describes it so…

They soon forgot His works;
they did not wait for His counsel,
but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness,
and tested God in the desert.

See what was happening?  They were lusting exceedingly!  Why?  Because they forgot God and His works and were not waiting on the Lord.  They did not wait for His counsel - here meaning His purposes, plan and also His promises of provision.

So instead of waiting on the Lord and being content with His plan and purpose, they lusted after what they did not have.  Remember, God provided manna and water for them while they were in the desert.  But they wanted the leeks, onions, garlic and meat of Egypt (Num 11).  They were not content with God but lusted after the things of the world.

By their discontent and unbelief they were testing God and basically saying

1. God is not enough for them


2. God is not enough for the trials they were facing


3. God doesn’t care about their trials


4. God doesn’t know what He is doing.

But don't we do the same thing in our lives?  When we are in the desert of testing, when we are in the wilderness of trial - don't we tend to forgot God, forget His purpose and plan for us?  And we turn to the world because we think the world can give us what God can't.  Really?  What can the world offer that is better than God?  Yet, we in our fallen humanity are more willing to reach out to the world than to take the Hand of God and say 'Lord, lead me, guide me, I trust you, I wait for your counsel'.

What trials, temptations, adversity, hardship do you face at this moment?  Can you trust God?  Can you be content that He is working in that situation?  Are you content in God alone?  Can you wait upon Him?  Or do you lust exceedingly for the things and ways of the world?