But This is Better

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.”(Psalm 37:7 ESV)

Are you patient before the Lord? Are there things you want that are better than what you have but are not available to you? Sometimes, we get caught up in life's newest or best options. It might be that car you would like, but you cannot afford all the unique options. The vehicle itself is what you need, and without the options that make it top-of-the-line, it will still serve its purpose, and it is better than what you have.

Waiting patiently on the Lord is crucial because He knows exactly what you need and knows it before you do. His timing is not just perfect; it is divine. While all those options may seem appealing, the base model will work just fine for the time being, won't it? Trust in His timing, for it is always right.

We pray for many things and overlook the little God gives us through His grace, for which we should always be grateful. Covetous eyes lead us down a dark road of sin. It is important to remember that everything we own belongs to God, everything. When God blesses us with a gift, and we question that gift, we are sinful and disrespectful to God. It is like a child who wants the new top of the line basketball shoes but gets the next step down. Yes, their new shoes are not as light or bright and do not have a specific person's name on them, but they are better than the shoes they currently have that have holes in them.

In Matthew’s gospel, we read this parable by Jesus, “And he told them this parable: ‘The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink, and be merry.”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21) Covetousness is evil, and it leads to idolatry.

We are all guilty of this, me included. We all think, “For just a little more money, I can have this,” but “this” is not what God has chosen for us to receive. Let us wait patiently on the Lord, be it something tangible, our health, or our hopes. God will lift us up fully in His time, and His timing is always perfect.  When praying for someone else, do the same thing: be patient. Continue praying without ceasing. God hears you, and if your request is in His sovereign will, God will deliver.

Understand that through prayer, we can ask the Lord for our deepest needs. Praying without cessation increases our urgency before the Lord. Will God deliver? David wrote in Psalm 5, "Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning." God hears our groanings. If God wills it, it will be completed. We often forget this fact. We can “want” all we want, but if it is not God’s will for us, our wants will be cast aside. Even the word “want” has a distasteful connotation to it. I want that; I want this; it is reminiscent of a spoiled child. Let us remember God's sovereignty and approach Him with humility and respect in our prayers.

Be thankful for everything God provides. Be grateful that God lifts you up as you struggle in this world. Be thankful for all the blessings of the almighty because any blessing is one not deserved by a sinner, and that means every single one of us.

Grace and Peace.