A Faith That Works When Life Doesn’t: Part 3Sample

Preparation Follows Expectation

It’s important to remember that God is always working behind the scenes, even through the pandemic—and any other problems you may be facing right now. Trust him and be patient. 

But how do you do that? What do you do while you’re waiting? How do you build a faith that trusts God during the delays? 

“Brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord comes again. See how farmers wait for their precious crops to grow. They wait patiently for fall and spring rains. You, too, must be patient. Don’t give up hope. The Lord will soon be here” (James 5:7-8 GW). 

Like farmers, we need to wait expectantly. While a farmer waits, he prepares for the harvest. He gets ready. He doesn’t sit around thinking, “I wonder if this is going to grow or not.” He expects it to grow. He prepares for the harvest so that when it comes, he can reap the benefits. 

You need to wait expectantly as you trust God to act and provide. Psalm 130:5 says, “I wait expectantly, trusting God to help, for he has promised” (TLB). That promise is all over the Bible, in verses like Isaiah 49:23: “No one who waits for my help will be disappointed” (GNT). 

What have you been waiting for God to do? Maybe you’ve been waiting for him to transform your marriage, solve a financial problem, heal a hurt, or reach someone in your family who isn’t a believer. Whatever you’ve been waiting on God to do, are you really expecting him to do it? If you’re not preparing yourself while you’re waiting, you’re not really expecting anything to happen. 

A lot of times we think we’re waiting on God, but God is just waiting on us. He’s saying, “You’re not ready to handle the blessing I want to give you. I want you to grow up first. You’re not waiting on me. I’m waiting on you.” 

If you’re tired and worn out because of this crisis, you need to remember to wait on God. You need to get still, meditate on God’s Word, and learn how to be more like him. Then get busy doing the work that will prepare you for the harvest. 

Talk It Over

• What have you been waiting on God to do in your life? What do you think he might be waiting on you to do in the meantime?
• In what ways can you prepare yourself while you wait for God to work?
• How do you want to grow and mature through the circumstances during the pandemic? How are you doing the work that will help you accomplish those goals?

This devotional © 2021 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.