Lent Meditation(4th Wedensday of Lent)

Pause:

As I enter this time of prayer, I put away all distractions, take a deep breath, and listen to what the Holy Spirit is going to speak to me about today.

Pray this Psalm, repeating the words slowly, a few times:

I remain confident of this:

I will see the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the Lord.

~Psalm 27:13-14

Reflect:

Why is it so difficult to trust God in the waiting period? Do you ever feel like God has left you? Don’t lose hope. He is with you, yes, even in the waiting. Life is difficult, especially when we pray and don’t receive (what we perceive to be) a timely response. We remind ourselves that God is in control. His timing is not our timing. Even though the wait seems to be forever, we can trust God’s plans for us, because he is trustworthy.

We must remember not to get ahead of God’s plan and go our own way. God sees ahead of us and knows the best path to take. Trust Him and know that He is up to something special for you.

What is your attitude when it seems God isn’t answering as quickly as you like?

How might it affect your prayers if you wholeheartedly believed that God has your best interest in mind?

Wonder

When we continue to wait on God after we have searched our hearts, we must remember that God is not like a human being with a vindictive vendetta against us. He has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us, even though it feels like it sometimes. There is no dark side to God. He does not hold out on us to make us squirm and feel hopeless. Instead, God is constantly refining us to be more like him.

What do you need to hear from God about? (It’s ok to be honest and direct)

Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray that you keep me focused on you today. Give me strength and power to overcome today’s struggles. Your grace is sufficient. I will not give up hope. Please lead me to your peace during the waiting season. Give me patience to wait on you for the answers I am seeking.

Yield (A prayer by Richard Foster on waiting for God)

GOD, WHERE ARE YOU!? What have I done to make you hide from me? I feel alone, lost, forsaken. You are the God who specializes in revealing yourself. You showed yourself to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. When Moses wanted to know what you looked like, you obliged him. Why them and not me? I am tired of praying. I am tired of asking. I am tired of waiting. But I will keep on praying and asking and waiting because I have nowhere else to go. Jesus, you too knew the loneliness of the desert and the isolation of the cross. And it is through your forsaken prayer that I speak these words.