Trusting God: Patience, Perspective, and Christ-Centered Waiting

 

Summary

In today's meditation, we delve into the profound message from the book of Habakkuk, focusing on the theme of trusting God during difficult times. Habakkuk, a prophet, questions God about His plans for Israel, expressing concern over what seems like divine inaction. God responds by assuring Habakkuk that He indeed has a plan, but it will unfold in His own time. This interaction highlights the importance of waiting on the Lord, a concept that is explored through three key aspects: patience, perspective, and a Christ-centered focus.

Waiting patiently involves an act of the will, where we consciously lay down our assumptions of knowing what is best. This is exemplified in the story of Job, who, despite his suffering, acknowledges that God knows the path he takes and trusts that he will emerge refined like gold. Patience, therefore, is about surrendering our perceived omniscience and trusting in God's perfect timing.

The second aspect, waiting perspectively, is about gaining spiritual insight. Habakkuk's imagery of standing on the ramparts symbolizes the need to rise above our immediate circumstances to see the bigger picture. Paul, in Romans 8, exemplifies this by comparing present sufferings to the future glory that awaits, thus gaining a perspective that diminishes the weight of current trials.

Finally, waiting Christocentrically means looking to Jesus as our ultimate example. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus exemplifies perfect submission to the Father's will, despite the impending suffering. His patience and courage inspire us to trust in God's plan, knowing that through faith in Christ, we are empowered to live as we ought.

Key Takeaways:

- Patience as an Act of Will: Patience is not passive but an active decision to trust God's timing over our own understanding. Like Job, we must lay down our assumptions and trust that God knows our path and will refine us through trials. [01:59]

- Gaining Perspective: Spiritual perspective allows us to see beyond our immediate struggles. By comparing our sufferings to the eternal glory promised by God, we can diminish the weight of our current trials and find hope. [03:30]

- Christ-Centered Waiting: Jesus' example in Gethsemane teaches us to submit to God's will, even when it leads to suffering. His patience and courage empower us to trust in God's plan and live faithfully. [06:01]

- God's Perfect Timing: God's timing often differs from ours, but it is always perfect. The story of Esther and the timing of Jesus' death illustrate that God orchestrates events for His purposes, even when they seem delayed. [07:41]

- Trusting God's Sovereignty: Believing in God's sovereignty means trusting that He knows what He is doing, even when life feels random or chaotic. This trust is foundational to our faith and provides peace amidst uncertainty. [09:19]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:09] - Introduction to Trusting God
[00:24] - Habakkuk's Questioning
[00:40] - God's Assurance and Timing
[01:11] - The Call to Wait
[01:26] - Waiting Patiently
[03:02] - Waiting Perspectively
[04:58] - Waiting Christocentrically
[06:31] - Discussion with Tim and Cathy Keller
[07:26] - God's Timing in Scripture
[08:24] - The Role of Faith in Waiting
[09:39] - Conclusion and Encouragement

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Habakkuk 2:1-4 - "I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint. Then the Lord replied: 'Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness.'"
2. Romans 8:18 - "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."
3. Job 23:9-10 - "When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold."

#### Observation Questions
1. What does Habakkuk do in response to his questions to God, and how does God respond to him? [00:24]
2. How does Job describe his understanding of God's presence and his own path in Job 23:9-10? [02:18]
3. What does Paul mean by "reckon" in Romans 8:18, and how does it relate to gaining perspective on suffering? [03:45]
4. How does the imagery of standing on the ramparts in Habakkuk 2:1 help us understand the concept of gaining perspective? [03:14]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of waiting patiently as an act of will challenge our natural inclinations during difficult times? [01:59]
2. In what ways does gaining spiritual perspective, as described in Romans 8:18, help believers endure present sufferings? [03:45]
3. How does Jesus' example in the Garden of Gethsemane illustrate Christ-centered waiting, and what can we learn from it? [06:01]
4. How does the story of Esther illustrate God's perfect timing, and what does it teach us about trusting His sovereignty? [08:09]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you had to wait on God's timing. How did you practice patience, and what was the outcome? [01:59]
2. How can you actively seek to gain spiritual perspective in your current circumstances, similar to standing on the ramparts? [03:14]
3. In what ways can you look to Jesus as your example when facing difficult decisions or suffering? How does His example inspire you? [06:01]
4. Consider a situation where you felt God's timing was delayed. How did you respond, and what might you do differently now? [07:41]
5. Identify an area in your life where you struggle to trust God's sovereignty. What steps can you take to deepen your trust in His plan? [09:19]
6. How can you encourage someone else who is struggling with waiting on God's timing? What practical support can you offer them? [07:26]
7. Think of a current trial you are facing. How can you apply the lessons from Job's story to trust that God is refining you through it? [02:47]

Devotional

Day 1: Patience as a Willful Surrender
Patience is not a passive state but an active decision to trust in God's timing over our own understanding. It requires laying down our assumptions and acknowledging that God knows our path and will refine us through trials. This is exemplified in the story of Job, who, despite his suffering, acknowledges that God knows the path he takes and trusts that he will emerge refined like gold. Patience, therefore, is about surrendering our perceived omniscience and trusting in God's perfect timing. [01:59]

"For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised." (Hebrews 10:36, ESV)

Reflection: What assumptions about your life are you holding onto that you need to surrender to God today? How can you actively choose to trust His timing?


Day 2: Seeing Beyond the Immediate
Gaining spiritual perspective allows us to rise above our immediate struggles and see the bigger picture. Habakkuk's imagery of standing on the ramparts symbolizes this need to gain insight beyond our current circumstances. Paul, in Romans 8, exemplifies this by comparing present sufferings to the future glory that awaits, thus gaining a perspective that diminishes the weight of current trials. By comparing our sufferings to the eternal glory promised by God, we can find hope and diminish the weight of our current trials. [03:30]

"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." (2 Corinthians 4:17, ESV)

Reflection: What current struggle are you facing that feels overwhelming? How can you shift your perspective to see it in light of God's eternal promises?


Day 3: Christ-Centered Submission
Waiting Christocentrically means looking to Jesus as our ultimate example. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus exemplifies perfect submission to the Father's will, despite the impending suffering. His patience and courage inspire us to trust in God's plan, knowing that through faith in Christ, we are empowered to live as we ought. Jesus' example teaches us to submit to God's will, even when it leads to suffering, and to trust in His plan. [06:01]

"And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:8, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you struggle to submit to God's will? How can Jesus' example in Gethsemane inspire you to trust and obey?


Day 4: Trusting in God's Perfect Timing
God's timing often differs from ours, but it is always perfect. The story of Esther and the timing of Jesus' death illustrate that God orchestrates events for His purposes, even when they seem delayed. Believing in God's sovereignty means trusting that He knows what He is doing, even when life feels random or chaotic. This trust is foundational to our faith and provides peace amidst uncertainty. [07:41]

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." (Ecclesiastes 3:11, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a time when God's timing differed from your own. How did it ultimately reveal His perfect plan? How can this experience encourage you to trust Him now?


Day 5: Embracing God's Sovereignty
Trusting God's sovereignty means believing that He knows what He is doing, even when life feels random or chaotic. This trust is foundational to our faith and provides peace amidst uncertainty. By embracing God's sovereignty, we acknowledge that He orchestrates events for His purposes, even when they seem delayed. This understanding allows us to find peace and assurance in His perfect plan. [09:19]

"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." (Proverbs 16:9, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you struggle to trust God's sovereignty? How can you remind yourself of His control and find peace in His plans today?

Quotes

"I will stand at my watch and stationed myself on the ramparts I will look to see what he will say to me and what answer I am to give to this complaint and then the Lord replied write down the revelation and make it plain on tablet so that a Herald may run with it for the revelation awaits an appointed time it speaks of the end and will not prove false though it linger wait for it it will certainly come and will not delay the righteous will live by his faith." [00:23:16]

"Now Habakkuk been asking God what are you going to be doing for Israel are you really how you just abandoned Israel have you no plan for it and of course God says I certainly have a plan but it's gonna take a long time a long time for it to work itself out so he says to Ibaka wait for it and that's a great question how do you wait for the Lord people talk about that all the time and the Bible speaks about it here's God actually saying though it linger wait for it which is another way of saying wait on me." [00:56:39]

"Patience is basically an act of the will it's an act of the will it's a deliberate laying down of the burden of assumed omniscience you see that in in job in chapter 23 verse 910 job is very he doesn't understand what God is doing and he says when he is at work in the north I do not see him he's talking about God here when he turns to the South I catch no glimpse of him but he knows the way that I take and when he has tested me I will come forth as gold." [01:12:14]

"To wait patiently to some degree he to wait on the Lord is simply an active of the will to say I've been assuming that I know what's best and I lay that burden down secondly however to wait on the Lord is to wait perspectively now here's what I mean by that Habakkuk says I will stationed myself on the ramparts and the ramparts means a tower which is interesting he you go up to the tower in a in a city to see what's coming it was from the tower that you could see friends coming or enemies coming reinforcements coming or invaders coming or travelers coming and so it's a way of getting perspective spiritually." [01:71:08]

"Paul says I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which will be real revealed to us now that word reckon is a Greek word l'église de mai which actually means to add up to add up to calculate and here's what Paul is saying he's saying I'm suffering I've got problems of my eyes I've got problems I got I got people after me people trying to kill me I've got a lot of problems but then he basically says to put in perspective my sufferings look really big until I compared them to the glory that will be revealed in me." [03:18:12]

"The only sickness that can really kill me has already been healed it's sin the only debt that can really sink me has already been forgiven it's it's sin and so what Paul is doing at that point is he's going up into the ramparts he's getting perspective and that's the second way which we can wait on the Lord there's an act of the will to be patient and then there's an act of the mind of thinking to get it in perspective spirituals perspective God's perspective as much as we possibly can." [04:54:66]

"When back when God says to back ik the righteous will live by faith that's a Habakkuk chapter two verse four that verse is taken by Paul himself and in one of the great expositions of the gospel of grace in Romans chapter 1 Paul quotes that and he actually says we are not saved by our works we're not saved by anything we do he who through faith is righteous will have eternal life and he's taking that and saying it's only through Jesus Christ that we're ever going to live the way we ought to live now what that means is you will not be able to be patient with God you will not be able to wait for God unless you look at Jesus." [05:03:08]

"You have to look at him in the Garden of Gethsemane for example in a sense waiting on the father saying I don't want to do this I don't under I must I frankly I'm shrinking before the the terror and the pain of what's going to happen on the cross and yet nevertheless not my will but thine be done when you see Jesus Christ doing that for you and for me when you see him being patient for you and for me enduring for you and for me being courageous for you and for me then and only then will we be able to be patient and brave and courageous for him." [05:47:03]

"So often our deadlines are just not the same as God's timetable and it is really easy to feel like God's getting it wrong he hasn't you know he missed the deadline he didn't he didn't fix this by the time it needed to be fixed I mean what'd he say to people who are really confused that God didn't come through at the time when they needed him to the first thing you do is you show all kinds of sympathy you listen carefully you don't give Pat answers or you don't be emotionally uninvolved with whatever they're suffering but then you do take them to the Bible." [06:49:67]

"The Bible is constantly saying that God's timing is perfect and it's just not ours there's plenty of examples of it you know the book of Esther is really extremely interesting even though God is actually not mentioned by name the book of Esther is all about God's timing there's a place where Esther has become Queen and she's scared she's going to be exposed as a Jew because the Jews are being destroyed and her uncle says who knows but you've you know come to power for such a time as this the other words you you are exactly where you need to be exactly at the right time and it's your job to do your your duty and if you do you'll find that God had been working it all out." [07:12:67]

"Most the Jews believe that when the Messiah came he'd come once and make everything right but the way God is working it out he's he's coming twice the first time he comes to redeem us for sin the second time he will come and make absolutely everything right and therefore there's a period of time in the middle where we were able to do his will and to bring people to him and to grow in grace and God knows what he's doing but you have to read the Bible and in constantly over the years it starts to sink in but it's difficult when at the moment it feels like God is not that key God knows what he's doing." [08:20:78]

"If you you don't believe in God well then guess what everything actually is random but if you do believe in God he has to know what he's doing if you found today's meditation encouraging please subscribe below and be sure to share it with a friend to encourage them as well and if you'd like to hear more teachings by Tim Keller you can listen to new sermons every week at gospel and life.com slash podcast thanks again for watching gospel and life." [09:23:96]

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Transcript
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