2. GOD MATURES OUR FAITH THROUGH WAITING.

3. Isaiah 30:18Isaiah 30:18 – “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! Hosea 12:6Hosea 12:6 – “But you must return to your God, you must maintain love and justice, and you must wait for your God always.”

4. Psalm 130:5Psalm 130:5 – “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.” Psalm 38:15Psalm 38:15 - “I wait for you, O Lord; you will answer, O Lord my God.”

5. Look at the waiting done by the great leaders in the OT -Noah (120 years) -Abraham (25) - Joseph (22) -Moses (40) - Paul (11)

6. “We are interested in speed, but God is more interested in strength and stability than swiftness. We want the quick fix, the shortcut, the on-the-spot solution. We want a sermon, a seminar, or an experience that instantly resolves all problems, removes all temptation,

7. and releases us from all growing pains. But real maturity is never the result of a single experience, no matter how powerful or moving. Growth is gradual. The Bible says, “Our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like Him.” (The Purpose Driven Life, p. 219)

8. -Will we think that God deserted us? -Will we feel sorry for ourselves? -Will we complain to God’s customer service department? -Will we ask to speak to the management? -Will we become so discouraged that we quit seeking the Lord and His will for our life? -Or will we learn to trust God and wait?

9. I. GOD HAS A PURPOSE FOR WAITING.

10. The biggest thing that waiting does is to explode the myth that “I can handle anything.”

11. II.WAITING IS A DIFFICULT PROCESS. Have you ever known any one who enjoyed waiting? Waiting is difficult because it MAKES us live by faith and not by sight.

12. III.HOW TO WAIT FOR THE LORD. -Don’t try to maneuver your way out of the waiting by your own power. In other words, don’t try to make it happen! -NEVER entertain the thought that God has abandoned you or doesn’t care about your life!

13. -Pray until you have clarity on what specifically He desires for your life today. -Adjust your prayers and purpose as He reveals more of His purpose to you. -Since we can’t control the timing of His actions, we need to keep our hearts ready to obey.

14. -Be prepared to rejoice when you see how God works out everything for your victory! Isaiah 64:4 – “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.”

15. There is no shortcut to victory! Wait on the Lord! Trust Him!