Devotionals for the Heart: Learning to worship God while we wait on Him

Worship While you Wait
A devotional by Patricia Russell

“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”—Psalm 27:14 (NLT)

I put a note in the calendar on my phone to remind me to arrive at least 15 minutes before the exact start time of my appointment with my doctor. On the day of my appointment, I walked into my doctor's office with plenty of time to spare.

I greeted the receptionist and took a seat. I noticed several other patients were waiting. I hoped and prayed they were not before me because I was on time. I made a mental note of the notice on the wall about a charge for missed appointments. That would not be my story today because I was on time.

Trying to relax, I opened my book to read the next chapter. I wanted to finish reading this chapter before it was my turn to see the doctor. After I finished reading the chapter, I looked at my watch and saw that I had been waiting well past my appointment time. Taking a deep breath, I prayed quietly that I would be called shortly. Can you relate to sitting in a waiting room for an appointment that you had planned your day around, only for the start time to be delayed much longer than you expected? Waiting is not fun, but every one of us faces this challenge more often than we would like.

Sometimes we are waiting on God to answer a prayer that we’ve been looking for an answer for some time. Day after day we wait in expectation. One thing I’ve had to repeatedly learn during this time of waiting is to trust Him. Trust that He has heard my prayer and that He wants me to rest in Him. God also wants me to worship Him while I wait. Trusting God requires us to learn His character. Scripture shows us that we are not alone in learning this life lesson.

There is a story in the Bible about a woman named Anna (Luke 2:36-38). She was someone who had waited many years for God to answer her prayer. The Bible tells us that Anna’s husband died when she was very young. After his death, she spent her days in the temple. She was one of many people who were waiting to see the fulfillment of the prophecy of Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem.

How was Anna able to do this for many years? She fasted from food for certain times as a spiritual discipline and she prayed to the Lord. She communicated with God and faithfully gave honor to God. When we worship through prayer and wait upon the Lord, there is a supernatural strength we are given that enables us to see our situation(s) with a different perspective. God wants us to delight so much in Him that we desire what He wants. Making His desire priority means we are placing a high worth on Him. Can we expect Him to direct our steps? Absolutely! The psalmist said in Psalm 27:14 to wait patiently for the Lord. Scripture also says in Psalm 27:13 (NLT) that he is confident he “will see the Lord’s goodness.”

The psalmist had experienced the Lord’s faithfulness just like Anna had. We too will see His faithfulness. However, we must be patient enough to wait on the Lord.

In closing, think about this: When people are honored at a public event the host will speak about that person’s character, what they have done to contribute to this world, and how they have impacted lives. Everyone’s focus is on that person with deep respect. But there is also an expectation that person will continue to do exemplary things to help make the world a better place.

Let’s put God in the spotlight and magnify His character. He has a flawless track record! Remember this when it comes to waiting on the Lord and trusting Him: God’s ways are not like ours and His timeline is different. But we can trust Him to always show up right on time and help us because His timing is perfect. Therefore, let’s continue to wait for Him and be courageous. Let’s honor God in our daily lives while we trust in Him, wait on Him and listen to His voice. Note: I’ve learned that waiting becomes less stressful because we’re worshipping God in the process.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord,

Sometimes it is so difficult to wait when I’ve prayed for so long for an answer. Yet, I’ve learned to praise You for who You are and thank You for what you’ve done in the past. I praise You for the testimonies throughout Scripture that showcase your faithfulness. As I wait on You, help me to rest in Your will. Thank You in advance for hearing my cry and sending the answers to my prayers. Help me to wait patiently to hear from You. Teach me to trust your perfect timing.

In Jesus’s Name I pray.

Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “While I Wait” by Lincoln Brewster. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Wait on the Lord” by Donnie McClurkin. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Patricia is a worship leader, songwriter, speaker and compiler of her 2020 best-seller anthology Stronger Resilience: Stories to Empower the Mind, Body and Spirit, as well as Lord I Trust You: Words of Encouragement to encourage readers and share life lessons during her cancer journey. 

Patricia writes, speaks, and teaches on the power of God’s Word to heal and empower you to become all that you are purposed for. She has traveled internationally and shared her gifts with audiences to encourage, empower and share life lessons through word and song. Patricia has sung on national television broadcasts and shared the stage with several respected speakers including Anne Graham Lotz and Rev. E.V. hill.

Her greatest joy is being married to her husband, Wayne, for 34 years. Together they serve the community through their local congregation as well as providing premarital and marriage coaching. They have two adult children, Raquel and Benjamin. As a two-time breast cancer overcomer, Patricia coaches’ others to develop resilience and live life to their fullest.

Patricia has released two gospel music recordings: “Draw Me Nearer” and “Lord, I Trust You”. In March 2022, she launched her podcast “Becoming Resilient” which can be downloaded wherever you get your podcasts and also seen on YouTube.

When not reading or studying, Patricia loves to eat Thai food and spend time with “Lucy” – her daughter’s Yorkie-poo who has taken up room in her heart.

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Connect with Patricia:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrussellsings/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pat.russell.98877/
Email Patricia: patrussellsings@gmail.com