Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
To wait on the Lord is to endure with patient, hopeful faith until He sees the heart ready for blessing, refusing fear and impatience when the way is dark and standing still to see His salvation. It is to do honestly and earnestly all that can be done and then leave the matter with Him in firm trust, believing He will bring His word and will to pass in His own time and way. It is to look directly to Him for guidance instead of leaning on man, surrendering mind and will so He leads in right ways, and to rest in personal contact with Christ in thought, prayer and the Bible until spiritual and physical strength are renewed. Those who so wait with good courage have their hearts strengthened by Him, for strength comes from God and not from human beings, and He works in behalf of those who wait and lets them see His salvation. Being of good courage means holding fast with firm decision to the work and confidence given, without hasty moves, wavering or discouragement, until light breaks and the work prevails.
What Waiting Means
Waiting on the Lord is patient, hopeful endurance that holds on until He sees a person ready to receive and appreciate the blessings asked for, for patience is a precious jewel that brings help to mind and heart in time of trial. It requires exercising faith even when the trial is severe, and from that faith hope is born. It refuses fear and impatience when the future cannot be known, and seeks Him in prayer and relies on His comfort, and He strengthens the heart of those who wait for Him. When tried and tempted and surrounded with difficulties, the safe course is to patiently wait, be of good courage, and commit the keeping of soul and body to God, standing still to see His salvation. As a ship caught in fog dares not venture forward but anchors and stands still until the sun penetrates and sweeps the fog away and leaves the harbor clear and safe to enter, so Christians in mist and perplexity dare not venture forward until the way is made clear.
Waiting means doing honestly and earnestly all that can be done and then leaving the matter with the Lord with firm trust rather than fretful anxiety, impatience, or lament over what was not accomplished. It believes He will do what seems good to Him and will bring His word and His will to pass, which relieves the mind of the pressure resting on it. So understood, it keeps partnership with God when work is hindered and plans are delayed by the failures and mistakes of fellow workers, bringing strength of heart, angelic leading, divine guidance, and provision of means through ways shortsighted mortals cannot discern. It waits for Him to bring the truth to particular places, as to New Bedford and Fairhaven, in His own time and way, instead of thinking one is forsaken.
Waiting means looking directly to the God of Israel for guidance about labor instead of acting in an independent spirit and starting new theories or asking a higher officer at every step whether one may do this or that. It surrenders mind and will to God and puts trust in Him, and He will surely lead in right ways and give the victory. He teaches each person how to work and reveals what work each is best adapted to perform, and waiting keeps workers in harmony with the truth and with brethren in counsel and cooperation. It preserves individuality while joining workers together in Christian fellowship with the Lord and with one another, making each one a help and strength to the whole work according to his several ability, looking to Jesus and believing for courage, strength of heart, light, the Holy Spirit, and every blessing needed to do his own part. Being of good courage in this waiting carries out conviction about where to be, remains where duty is clear, does not get into a strait place, does not work early and late but takes time to rest, does not speak unadvisedly, and does not lay burdens on others.
Waiting means stopping and resting in personal contact with Christ rather than hurrying through prayer or working beyond strength. It takes time to think, pray, read the Bible, and sit together in heavenly places in Christ in abiding companionship and not merely a momentary pause, for workers facing turmoil, discomfort, weariness, restless nervousness, and despair. This renews spiritual and physical strength, uplifts by God's Spirit, quickens with fresh life, and soothes jaded frame and tired brain. It keeps the heart submissive to Him and mindful of God and His claims, trusting He never forsakes those who trust Him, and to those who wait in this way He gives blessing and strength of heart, guidance, and courage to keep pursuing a course of right. It includes lightening heavy studies, taking things easier and more moderately, holding to plans for education, and trusting that if it is God's will to remain in place He will preserve and bless efforts to build up physically as well as mentally and make them successful.
Waiting is a daily practice of staying the heart upon God and refusing to let any depressing thought take hold. This daily waiting gives hope and joy of heart while pressing on with a long-delayed work until it is accomplished. In waiting upon the Lord in faith in prayer, He draws out the soul and gives a feeling of His precious love, bringing nearness to Him and sweet communion with Him. It gives distinct views of His tenderness and compassion, and contemplation of the love given breaks and melts the heart, with the result that Christ abides in the soul.
Waiting means trusting wholly in God rather than trusting in man or making flesh an arm, for asking human agents may bring no answer, but asking God brings receiving. It leans heavily on the strength of Jesus the Redeemer and upon the Mighty One in danger and affliction, trusting no one who trusts in Him ever fails, because the Lord does not willingly afflict or grieve His children and stays the hand of the destroyer. It orders one's ways in accordance with His will and is of good courage in the place where He has put one, with confidence that He will care and help in every emergency and will not leave or forsake His people. It submits one's case to God without haste or discouragement in critical experience, giving Him a chance to work and lying low at the foot of the cross, and in that hour of trial He works for him and teaches him precious lessons and a precious experience is obtained. It shows itself by faithfulness in every act, knowing God reads the motive behind action and gives just credit even when men do not appreciate it. It keeps waiting and watching and praying and working with the face constantly turned to the Sun of Righteousness, letting bright beams from Jesus shine into the heart to shine upon others through good works and lifting up Jesus before the people.
Courage and Promised Strength
The promise is that those who wait on the Lord with good courage will have their hearts strengthened by Him, and waiting includes hoping quietly for His salvation when weary and faint. Trusting His goodness gives hope even in faintness, with the assurance that the Lord Jesus bears the burdens of the Christian. Strength for waiting comes from God and not from human beings, and for workers it means looking to Jesus and trusting Him to supply the blessings and strength needed for the work. As they look to Jesus and seek the Holy Spirit they receive light, courage, and every blessing needed to help in the work, with the assurance that the Lord will bless and strengthen those engaged in His work.
Being of good courage means holding the fort with firmness and decision instead of leaving assigned work when friction and counterworking make labor hard. It means not making too many changes at once, but praying much, guarding every word and action, and using experience already gained and knowledge of what needs to be done where the climate agrees and it can be felt to be God's will to remain. It means standing fast and clinging to the work God has given without hasty moves, wavering, or discouragement, even under great pressure and trial of faith about the future, as with the Paradise Valley Sanitarium. Waiting is trusting wholly in Him rather than depending on human advice, leaning on His power as a very present help in every time of need and holding on with courage until change comes, light breaks forth, and the work comes out all right and prevails if it is His will, with strength and efficiency from the Mighty One.
Waiting with courage brings sure sight of His salvation, because He will work in behalf of those who wait. It keeps a strong current setting heavenward, which God answers by acting to save and by not letting His work and His gathered ministers break up in confusion and darkness. It calls for holding fast to His promises and refusing to fail or become discouraged, looking up and trusting wholly in Him because He lives and hears and answers prayer as Helper, Physician, and Saviour.
The verse gives courage to separate from the world and trust God as Father, so as not to let the enemy rob hope. It means letting the heart strengthen itself in God when carrying terrible burdens, trusting that God can help and will not leave one destitute of His Spirit. When worn out by constant work and weakened by sickness, nervous prostration, and affliction of heart, putting hope, strength, faith, and trust in God and His promises brings assurance that God will help and bring one out all right. Being of good courage means holding the beginning of confidence firm unto the end in lifelong, untiring effort that puts heaven above earthly and temporal things, with hope of being gathered home to the family of God with right to the tree of life and entrance through the gates into the city. It means not being discouraged, troubled, or scared away by those who present the gloomy side, but holding to plans for education and trusting that if it is His will to remain in place He will preserve and bless efforts to build up physically as well as mentally and make them successful, including lightening heavy studies and taking things more easily and moderately.
To wait on the Lord is to endure with patient, hopeful faith until He sees the heart ready for blessing, refusing fear and impatience when the way is dark and standing still to see His salvation. It is to do honestly and earnestly all that can be done and then leave the matter with Him in firm trust, believing He will bring His word and will to pass in His own time and way. It is to look directly to Him for guidance instead of leaning on man, surrendering mind and will so He leads in right ways, and to rest in personal contact with Christ in thought, prayer and the Bible until spiritual and physical strength are renewed. Those who so wait with good courage have their hearts strengthened by Him, for strength comes from God and not from human beings, and He works in behalf of those who wait and lets them see His salvation. Being of good courage means holding fast with firm decision to the work and confidence given, without hasty moves, wavering or discouragement, until light breaks and the work prevails.
What Waiting Means
Waiting on the Lord is patient, hopeful endurance that holds on until He sees a person ready to receive and appreciate the blessings asked for, for patience is a precious jewel that brings help to mind and heart in time of trial. It requires exercising faith even when the trial is severe, and from that faith hope is born. It refuses fear and impatience when the future cannot be known, and seeks Him in prayer and relies on His comfort, and He strengthens the heart of those who wait for Him. When tried and tempted and surrounded with difficulties, the safe course is to patiently wait, be of good courage, and commit the keeping of soul and body to God, standing still to see His salvation. As a ship caught in fog dares not venture forward but anchors and stands still until the sun penetrates and sweeps the fog away and leaves the harbor clear and safe to enter, so Christians in mist and perplexity dare not venture forward until the way is made clear.
Waiting means doing honestly and earnestly all that can be done and then leaving the matter with the Lord with firm trust rather than fretful anxiety, impatience, or lament over what was not accomplished. It believes He will do what seems good to Him and will bring His word and His will to pass, which relieves the mind of the pressure resting on it. So understood, it keeps partnership with God when work is hindered and plans are delayed by the failures and mistakes of fellow workers, bringing strength of heart, angelic leading, divine guidance, and provision of means through ways shortsighted mortals cannot discern. It waits for Him to bring the truth to particular places, as to New Bedford and Fairhaven, in His own time and way, instead of thinking one is forsaken.
Waiting means looking directly to the God of Israel for guidance about labor instead of acting in an independent spirit and starting new theories or asking a higher officer at every step whether one may do this or that. It surrenders mind and will to God and puts trust in Him, and He will surely lead in right ways and give the victory. He teaches each person how to work and reveals what work each is best adapted to perform, and waiting keeps workers in harmony with the truth and with brethren in counsel and cooperation. It preserves individuality while joining workers together in Christian fellowship with the Lord and with one another, making each one a help and strength to the whole work according to his several ability, looking to Jesus and believing for courage, strength of heart, light, the Holy Spirit, and every blessing needed to do his own part. Being of good courage in this waiting carries out conviction about where to be, remains where duty is clear, does not get into a strait place, does not work early and late but takes time to rest, does not speak unadvisedly, and does not lay burdens on others.
Waiting means stopping and resting in personal contact with Christ rather than hurrying through prayer or working beyond strength. It takes time to think, pray, read the Bible, and sit together in heavenly places in Christ in abiding companionship and not merely a momentary pause, for workers facing turmoil, discomfort, weariness, restless nervousness, and despair. This renews spiritual and physical strength, uplifts by God's Spirit, quickens with fresh life, and soothes jaded frame and tired brain. It keeps the heart submissive to Him and mindful of God and His claims, trusting He never forsakes those who trust Him, and to those who wait in this way He gives blessing and strength of heart, guidance, and courage to keep pursuing a course of right. It includes lightening heavy studies, taking things easier and more moderately, holding to plans for education, and trusting that if it is God's will to remain in place He will preserve and bless efforts to build up physically as well as mentally and make them successful.
Waiting is a daily practice of staying the heart upon God and refusing to let any depressing thought take hold. This daily waiting gives hope and joy of heart while pressing on with a long-delayed work until it is accomplished. In waiting upon the Lord in faith in prayer, He draws out the soul and gives a feeling of His precious love, bringing nearness to Him and sweet communion with Him. It gives distinct views of His tenderness and compassion, and contemplation of the love given breaks and melts the heart, with the result that Christ abides in the soul.
Waiting means trusting wholly in God rather than trusting in man or making flesh an arm, for asking human agents may bring no answer, but asking God brings receiving. It leans heavily on the strength of Jesus the Redeemer and upon the Mighty One in danger and affliction, trusting no one who trusts in Him ever fails, because the Lord does not willingly afflict or grieve His children and stays the hand of the destroyer. It orders one's ways in accordance with His will and is of good courage in the place where He has put one, with confidence that He will care and help in every emergency and will not leave or forsake His people. It submits one's case to God without haste or discouragement in critical experience, giving Him a chance to work and lying low at the foot of the cross, and in that hour of trial He works for him and teaches him precious lessons and a precious experience is obtained. It shows itself by faithfulness in every act, knowing God reads the motive behind action and gives just credit even when men do not appreciate it. It keeps waiting and watching and praying and working with the face constantly turned to the Sun of Righteousness, letting bright beams from Jesus shine into the heart to shine upon others through good works and lifting up Jesus before the people.
Courage and Promised Strength
The promise is that those who wait on the Lord with good courage will have their hearts strengthened by Him, and waiting includes hoping quietly for His salvation when weary and faint. Trusting His goodness gives hope even in faintness, with the assurance that the Lord Jesus bears the burdens of the Christian. Strength for waiting comes from God and not from human beings, and for workers it means looking to Jesus and trusting Him to supply the blessings and strength needed for the work. As they look to Jesus and seek the Holy Spirit they receive light, courage, and every blessing needed to help in the work, with the assurance that the Lord will bless and strengthen those engaged in His work.
Being of good courage means holding the fort with firmness and decision instead of leaving assigned work when friction and counterworking make labor hard. It means not making too many changes at once, but praying much, guarding every word and action, and using experience already gained and knowledge of what needs to be done where the climate agrees and it can be felt to be God's will to remain. It means standing fast and clinging to the work God has given without hasty moves, wavering, or discouragement, even under great pressure and trial of faith about the future, as with the Paradise Valley Sanitarium. Waiting is trusting wholly in Him rather than depending on human advice, leaning on His power as a very present help in every time of need and holding on with courage until change comes, light breaks forth, and the work comes out all right and prevails if it is His will, with strength and efficiency from the Mighty One.
Waiting with courage brings sure sight of His salvation, because He will work in behalf of those who wait. It keeps a strong current setting heavenward, which God answers by acting to save and by not letting His work and His gathered ministers break up in confusion and darkness. It calls for holding fast to His promises and refusing to fail or become discouraged, looking up and trusting wholly in Him because He lives and hears and answers prayer as Helper, Physician, and Saviour.
The verse gives courage to separate from the world and trust God as Father, so as not to let the enemy rob hope. It means letting the heart strengthen itself in God when carrying terrible burdens, trusting that God can help and will not leave one destitute of His Spirit. When worn out by constant work and weakened by sickness, nervous prostration, and affliction of heart, putting hope, strength, faith, and trust in God and His promises brings assurance that God will help and bring one out all right. Being of good courage means holding the beginning of confidence firm unto the end in lifelong, untiring effort that puts heaven above earthly and temporal things, with hope of being gathered home to the family of God with right to the tree of life and entrance through the gates into the city. It means not being discouraged, troubled, or scared away by those who present the gloomy side, but holding to plans for education and trusting that if it is His will to remain in place He will preserve and bless efforts to build up physically as well as mentally and make them successful, including lightening heavy studies and taking things more easily and moderately.