Balance Between Waiting

Question

How do we strike the balance between waiting on God and acting on our own?

Answer

Rare is the occasion that we just sit around while God does all the work. He expects us to live our faith and show what we believe. When we wait on God – we are literally listening to Him, seeking His face and a response.

Clearly God wants us to know Him and to know His will. We have His written Word and we have the present, active power of the Holy Spirit.

In Jeremiah 33:3 God says “Call to me and I will answer you…”

As well, Philipians 2:13 states "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure" (ESV). Also, James 2:17 says "…faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (ESV).

Scripture reveals to us a beautiful relationship between believing/trusting and acting/obeying. Our responsibility is to search God’s Word to find and know His will. Once we sense His will, then we must act in faith accordingly. Our actions of obedience are the outward result of our inward belief that God will keep His word.

When we receive direction from Him (objectively through His Word, subjectively by the leading of the Holy Spirit) then our time of waiting is over and it’s time for action. Obedience or action should be the result of our waiting on God.