What you do While you're Waiting Matters

Good morning friends.

    Today's reading in 1 Samuel 13 hit me right between the eyes.( you'll find that funny in a few chapters)But on a serious note it really did hit me. What you do while you're waiting matters.

       Saul was under pressure. The Philistines were gathering and his army was scattering and hiding in caves and wherever they could find.Fear was spreading. And Samuel hadn't arrived yet. At least not when Saul thought he should.

    So Saul did what many of us are tempted to do when God seems late. He took matters into his own hands. He offered the sacrifice himself instead of waiting for Samuel like God had instructed. And the moment Saul finished, Samuel arrived.The very thing Saul couldn't wait for was already on the way.

           Whew. That'll preach.

How many times have we done the same thing?

     God tells us to wait. But waiting feels uncomfortable. God tells us to trust him but trusting feels risky. God says be still. But we feel like we need to do something. Anything.

So we start forcing doors. Pushing outcomes. Manipulating situations. Trying to help God out.

     But thats not faith.

Faith is when nothing seems to be moving and you trust Him anyway.

    And then I noticed something I had never really paid attention to before.

1 Samuel 13:22 says "So on the day of the battle none of the people of Israel had a sword or spear, except for Saul and Jonathan."

     The Philistines had spent years disarming God's people.

Think about that.

    The enemy didn't just want to defeat Israel. He wanted to make sure they couldn't fight back.

How many believers today have been disarmed too.Not physically but Spiritually.

🌟 We've neglected prayer.

🌟 Neglected God's Word. 

🌟 Neglected time in God's presence.

    We've become so busy doing life that we've laid down the very weapons God gave us.

Maybe that's why so many believers live defeated, fearful, anxious, and overwhelmed.

   A disarmed believer is easier to intimidate.

A prayerless church will eventually become a fearful church. That's Dangerous!

We've forgotten how to tarry.

We've forgotten how to wait in His presence.

We've forgotten that some battles aren't won through being busy but through intimacy with God.

The enemy would love nothing more than for us to put down our spiritual weapons and try to fight spiritual battles in our own strength.

      But the good news is Israel's victory was never going to come from the sharpness of their swords. It was going to come from the greatness of their God.

   I needed that remindertoday.

Before you ask God to remove the battle, make sure you're picking up the weapons He's already given you.

Prayer. His Word. Worship. Faith.

Because what God has promised is worth waiting for.

And what God has equipped you with is enough for the battle. 

Love Pastor Mandy

Ark of Hope Ministry 

Daily reading 1 Samuel 13