DAY 21

MADE TO BE WITH HIM

DANYELLE DEMICK, THE WOODS CHURCH

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. James 5:7–11

Sometimes it feels like life is just one long season of waiting. How often do we find ourselves looking ahead to the next thing, rather than resting in the present? In James 5:7–11, we are told to “be patient.” We are called to establish our hearts as we wait for the coming of the Lord.

There is so much beauty in this call to patience. Yet it is not always simple or easy. In fact, in our flesh, it is usually hard. Yet beauty is found when we posture ourselves at the feet of Jesus. Instead of constantly asking Him for the next want or need, we learn to simply remain with Him, declaring: “I love You. I trust You. Here I wait patiently with You, because You are all I need.” Peace flows when we choose patience, when we stop striving or trying to accomplish everything by our own strength or plans, and instead wait on the Lord and what He has prepared for us.

A few years ago, I found myself in an extended season of waiting for something very specific. I felt the Lord calling me to look for the next step in my career, but I had no clear direction of what that step should be. The search was long and exhausting, and eventually I reached a point where I could do nothing else but wait with the Lord. I knew He was a God who provides, who has good things for His beloved children, but I didn’t understand His timing. Fear and anxiety whispered, “What if this doesn’t happen in time?” It felt like forever. All I could do was bring my tears to Him and rest as patiently as possible at His feet.

In that season, I clung to a simple prayer: “I love You, I trust You.” When I couldn’t form any other words, I repeated that prayer again and again, and it sustained me. In His perfect timing, the Lord brought me into exactly what He had planned next, something far better than I could have imagined or arranged for myself. There was no striving, only waiting, and the provision He poured out over us was far beyond what we could have orchestrated on our own.

The truth is, we serve a perfectly steadfast God. He is full of kindness, mercy, and a love that never fails. He is near in every circumstance. And how beautiful it is when we respond with steadfastness in return, not by our own strength but through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.

Patience looks like this: posturing ourselves at the foot of His throne and refusing to move, not distracting ourselves with endless tasks or trying to solve everything in our own ability, but simply remaining near to Him.

Behold, we consider those blessed who remain steadfast. James 5:11

Our God is worthy of our full attention and all of our affection. Let’s fix our gaze on Him. Be with Him. Trust Him.

PRAYER: We thank You, God, for being near and for Your goodness. Whatever it is that we wait for today, would we be patient and steadfast. Increase these attributes in our own lives, Father, through the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. Would we choose to be with our Heavenly Father as we wait, declaring “I love You, I trust You, You are all I need” knowing that we do not need to strive. Find us at Your feet, not rushing to go and do the next thing on our list but waiting and resting in Your presence, knowing that Your plans and Your timing is better than our own. You are a good God who has abundance for His children—all we have to do is be with You.