I’ve been thinking a lot lately about waiting on the Lord. Recently, I spent a week on a personal retreat and during that time, this song, sung by Shane and Shane, really ministered to me. There are several lines that particularly resonated with my heart. “I will wait for you, surely wait for you, through the storm, and through the night; I will wait for you, I will wait for you, on your Word I will rely; I will wait for you, surely wait for you until my soul is satisfied.”

All of us experience “storms” and “darkness” at times in our lives. The question is, will we trust in the Lord that he is present with us and will navigate us through them? His Word reminds us over and over that he is a God who is present; a God who rescues; a God who promises much better things in the future. Our biggest challenge is not to figure out how in the world we will get through the darkness, but rather that we will trust in him to guide us safely through it.

That “darkness” takes many forms. It may be wrenching grief. It may be a painful betrayal or injustice. It may be a medical diagnosis. For each, the pain and anguish are great. Our responses to the darkness that falls upon our lives is often varied. Some of us get angry; some get depressed; others get busy doing things that will distract from the pain. The Lord is patient with us in our attempts to cope, but what he desires most is for us to seek him, for us to take his hand and allow him to lead us through the storm and through the night.

Unlike what many of us tend to believe, he doesn’t promise an immediate release from our pain, which is what we really want. Just make it go away! What he does promise is to be present and to rescue us. That is very different from instantly making everything better. Rescues are necessitated by events that require recovery. Someone might be rescued from a fire or a collapsed building, but there will be a time of recovery required.  In the same way, the darkness of our lives requires not only rescue, but recovery as well. The Lord will do the rescuing and will be present to help us recover. This latter time is where we must be patient and trust the Lord’s healing work. Our attempts at shortcuts (e.g., prolonged anger, distraction and escapism, etc.) will only extend the time needed for healing.

What I found during my personal retreat was my propensity for trying shortcuts rather than fully trusting the Lord. I really did think I was trusting him, but through the Holy Spirit and a skilled guide, I realized I was still in some ways looking for my own solutions. I wasn’t truly waiting on the Lord who promised to rescue me and walk with me through the darkness. I wasn’t truly relying on his Word.

It is a humbling experience to confess what you deeply wish were untrue. Yet, it is a freeing one as well. As Jesus proclaimed: Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32) This was my rescue and I’ve been on the road to recovery ever since, feeling the presence of the Lord every step of the way.

So, if you find yourself in the midst of the darkness, cry out to him. He will indeed rescue you but know the recovery may take longer than you want. Still, you can trust him to be present with you every step of the way. He is a God who keeps his promises.

© Jim Musser 2022 All Scripture references are from the New International Version, 2011.