Presented by Lisa Bishop

Before we dive in, I have a question for you. How are you? Really, how are you doing? How is your faith in Jesus these days? There is a lot going on in the world and there may even be a lot happening in your life right now. You might find yourself in a sweet season with the Lord. You may be going through a rough patch in your faith, in one of your darkest seasons, or somewhere in between. I pray you know you are not alone.

I don’t think we talk about our struggles enough. We can maintain a code of silence when life is hard or our faith wavers because we are afraid of what people will say. We wonder, “Will they think I’m not a good enough Christian if I share I am struggling?” “Will I be shunned if I am doubting or weary?” And so, we silently suffer, and our faith can suffer even more. In our silence, we run the risk of reaching a point where we isolate and withdraw from community. No matter where you are and how strong, or weak your faith is, I pray that today encourages you.

In my quiet time I’ve been reading through the book of Psalms. The Psalms are a collection of prayers, songs, and praises to God. They are filled with raw honesty as they catalog the Psalmist’s highs and lows of life, along with laments, longings, unwelcome circumstances, and crying out in long seasons of waiting. Waiting can sometimes lead to feelings of frustration and doubt. When answers don't come, we might start questioning God's goodness or presence. The Psalms remind us that God's silence is not his absence. They are a profound reminder of the faithfulness and character of God. If you have never studied the Psalms, I highly recommend you do. Not just cherry-picking verses but reading the fullness and richness of every Psalm from beginning to end. Let God renew your mind, speak into your life, and reveal his character through the cries of the Psalmist.

Romans 12:2, says, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. This verse reminds us of the power of God’s Word in creating life-long positive change. We all want change for the better, but it requires action on our part. And that action is disciplining ourselves to dwell on the Word of God. Sounds counterintuitive, doesn’t it? Dwelling in the Word and discipline. We want it to be easy. We want to feel like doing something before we actually do it. But sometimes we need the sheer act of will to do what we know is helpful and good and fruitful for us as followers of Jesus.

And that is spending time with God and his Word.

It’s really important that you and I have a rich and deep understanding of the gospel and a solid theological framework to even begin to make sense of some of the things that happen throughout the course of our lives. But too often we can settle for a Sunday faith and a sip of the gospel rather than an everyday faith that permeates every corner of our life. A faith deeply rooted in the living Word of God and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 1:1-3 says, Blessed is the one… whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields fruit in its season and does not wither. That is one profound truth of immersing yourself in Scripture; it will keep you from withering.

So what does being in God’s Word have to do with waiting on God? Sometimes waiting on God can cause us to wither. We grow weary in the waiting. You may be hoping for a long-awaited answer to prayer for financial provision, a job promotion, or vindication from a wrong committed against you. Waiting for God to provide a spouse, for your marriage to be restored, or for emotional or physical healing. Waiting is hard. Whether we are waiting on something big that can be life-altering or waiting in line, on hold, or in traffic, none of us likes to wait. We get impatient. We want to burst out in anger, or we internalize the pain of the wait and find ways to cope and numb the discontentme...