WFW - Psalm 27:14
While We Are Waiting
Who enjoys a good, long wait? Not me. I have places to go and people to see. Hah. Seriously, although I am patient to a degree, when I am going through a trial I want it to be over. I have been battling a trial of illness that hardly lets me even write since June. That's the whole summer, ya'll! One thing I have found is that there are things I can do while I am waiting.
The Hebrew word for wait is qavah. I looked it up on the handy-dandy http://www.blueletterbible.org/ and found this verb to mean:
1) to wait, look for, hope, expect
a) (Qal) waiting (participle)
b) (Piel)
1) to wait or look eagerly for
2) to lie in wait for
3) to wait for, linger for
2) to collect, bind together
a) (Niphal) to be collected
a) (Qal) waiting (participle)
b) (Piel)
1) to wait or look eagerly for
2) to lie in wait for
3) to wait for, linger for
2) to collect, bind together
a) (Niphal) to be collected
This speaks volumes to me. It makes me have no self-pity, just a need for practicing more patience. It encourages me to hope and expect that I will be healed or God will act in someway. I look eagerly for that. No matter what our trials are, we should wait and linger for God to intervene. And He will. God is like that. He loves us! He is not going to leave us where we are. I can feel myself improving, little milestones, but they're there, blessings given by God.
Don't Worry...Be Strong
All of us have gone or are going through our own personal trials. While we are waiting on the Lord, we are encouraged by the Psalmist to be strong.
The Hebrew word for the phrase be strong and take heart is chazaq. Implying action, this verb means:
1) to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore
a) (Qal)
1) to be strong, grow strong
a) to prevail, prevail upon
b) to be firm, be caught fast, be secure
c) to press, be urgent
d) to grow stout, grow rigid, grow hard (bad sense)
e) to be severe, be grievous
2) to strengthen
b) (Piel)
1) to make strong
2) to restore to strength, give strength
3) to strengthen, sustain, encourage
4) to make strong, make bold, encourage
5) to make firm
6) to make rigid, make hard
c) (Hiphil)
1) to make strong, strengthen
2) to make firm
3) to display strength
4) to make severe
5) to support
6) to repair
7) to prevail, prevail upon
8) to have or take or keep hold of, retain, hold up, sustain, support
9) to hold, contain
d) (Hithpael)
1) to strengthen oneself
2) to put forth strength, use one's strength
3) to withstand
4) to hold strongly with
a) (Qal)
1) to be strong, grow strong
a) to prevail, prevail upon
b) to be firm, be caught fast, be secure
c) to press, be urgent
d) to grow stout, grow rigid, grow hard (bad sense)
e) to be severe, be grievous
2) to strengthen
b) (Piel)
1) to make strong
2) to restore to strength, give strength
3) to strengthen, sustain, encourage
4) to make strong, make bold, encourage
5) to make firm
6) to make rigid, make hard
c) (Hiphil)
1) to make strong, strengthen
2) to make firm
3) to display strength
4) to make severe
5) to support
6) to repair
7) to prevail, prevail upon
8) to have or take or keep hold of, retain, hold up, sustain, support
9) to hold, contain
d) (Hithpael)
1) to strengthen oneself
2) to put forth strength, use one's strength
3) to withstand
4) to hold strongly with
I submit that if we truly make the effort to be strong, we will not remain in the pit long. I like each and every one of these definitions. They are the epitome of strength and what we can do to use to strengthen ourselves.
Where does your strength come from? Mine comes from the Word and from knowing that God will pick me up in His time.
Wrapping It Up
We all need encouragement during times of trials, so if you're going through one, rest assured I am praying for you, bloggy friend.
Questions for Reflection: Where does your strength come from? What are some ways you have been strong through trials?
Verse of the Day: "Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." ~ Psalm 27:14 (NIV)
Prayer: Father, we all face trials of different magnitudes. These trials can rock our worlds and seem to last for seasons upon seasons. Others are shorter but just as tough to go through. Help us, Lord, as we wait and find our strength in You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
S - Sing praise to God no matter how dark the night. "I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High." ~ Psalm 7:17 (NIV)
T - Trust God as your deliverer. "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." ~ Psalm 18:2 (NIV)
R - Remember Who your strength is. "The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him." ~ Exodus 15:2 (NIV)
O - Obey God's command to be strong as you wait. "Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." ~ Psalm 27:14 (NIV)
N - Nourish yourself by reading your Bible. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." ~ Psalm 119:105 (NIV)
G - Go on with life at a pace you can deal with. God will sustain you. "Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me." ~ Psalm 54:4 (NIV)
The purpose of WFW is to share the Word of God through photo's and a verse. Susan, at Forever His, is our hostess. Be sure to link up and share your own, and drop her a thank you for hosting this wonderful meme each week. It always blesses my heart to read all the posts and see the photos and verses. This is a wonderful way to minister to others and to be ministered to by reading others posts. Please visit by clicking on the button below.
Besides prayer, we need to check our self-control meter. We should temper our words and lack of self-control in this area if we are struggling. Most of all, we need to purpose in our hearts that each and every one of the words we speak will glorify God and bring Him honor, not discredit Him to others who are watching and listening to the example we set. 
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