“Patience is a virtue.” That is what my grandma and mother used to tell me all the time. It was wise counsel that I had a hard time taking because I like to get things done quickly and efficiently. My frustration level rises when I have to wait, and I am not a happy camper. Fortunately for us, God is not as impatient as we are. He chooses to wait so he can be gracious, show us mercy, and most of all, be exalted in our lives. We need to learn how to wait upon the Lord to receive these.
Isaiah 30:18
“Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.”
The Lord is Patient
The Lord is patient and full of grace. Read that verse again. He will wait so that He can be gracious to you. Think about this for a second: The God of the universe will wait for YOU so He can give you grace. We are already undeserving of His grace, and now we learn that he is patient in giving it to us. He will wait for us, not wanting us to suffer. His goal is our maturity and sanctification. All of this shows the world how great He is. Next time you are getting impatient, realize how patient God was waiting for you to receive His grace.
The Lord Extends Mercy
God is also patient with us so that he can show us mercy. Mercy is not getting the consequences that we deserve. He shows us patience, so we don’t have to suffer through the agony of our bad decisions. He withholds his judgment so that we can receive his grace. God is patient so that we can receive his grace and mercy. We don’t get what we deserve (that’s mercy) so that we can get what we don’t deserve (that’s grace).
Wait Upon the Lord
This is all done so that God can be exalted in our lives. He wants to get the credit for the work being done to change us. He uses that as a magnet to draw others to him. When people see the difference in our lives, they become curious about how that can happen in theirs. If we take the credit, we block the path to change for them. If we give God the glory, they are presented with the opportunity for transformation.