Psalm 33:20 | A Waiting Soul
Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
Psalm 33:20 ESV
We find ourselves most spiritually defenseless when we rush ahead of God. It’s tempting to step outside of his will and jump at solutions we see through our own understanding and imagination. Whether this is a serious situation that calls us to trust in God beyond our strength or simply a mundane moment, learning to wait on the Lord positions us for a life of freedom in Christ.
Not every scenario in our faith life is a dramatic life-or-death moment. There will always be big decisions, like overcoming temptation, making a morally right choice, pursuing relationships, careers, and more. However, most of our decisions are mundane—how early to wake up before work, what to eat for breakfast, and what smartphone we want to buy next.
Is it possible that learning to wait on the Lord in the mundane moments of life can prepare us to hear the voice of God in the moments where more is on the line?
The soul is an aspect of our being that can be hard to understand. I find that in getting my being aligned with an idea or lifestyle, my soul is the last part to come “online.” What I mean is that usually, my spirit, mind, body/will, and heart often engage before my soul. In worship, it is much easier to be drawn into praise with theologically rich truth that captivates my mind, an energetic song that moves me to jump and dance, or a message that pulls my heart into the emotional story of the gospel. Later, my soul engages. Deep prayer and worship from the soul are transformative.
The soul is a private, intimate, and sacred part of our being, so much so that I'm struggling to even write about it! When I read about a soul that waits on the Lord, I know that this is not a simple action but a state of being to learn how to live into.
Most of the waiting I have experienced in my faith journey was forced upon me. If you haven’t figured it out yet, God’s timeline is rarely in sync with our vision for how things should unfold. God is never in a hurry to accomplish his will. We’ve all been on the waiting side of a promise where God gives us the grace to learn how to be patient until the time is right.
I don’t think this verse is talking about mere patience. This is more than a lesson to give things time and be willing to sit around for the right moment. A soul that waits on the Lord is a soul that abides.
If you learn to listen to and respond to the voice of God, you will see that God has carefully designed a place for you to live under the shadow of his wings. Abiding is not a mundane act of sitting in your chair and removing all distractions. That’s stoicism or detachment. Abiding is getting into the heart of God. It is dwelling in God’s presence and, like this verse says, living behind his shield.
So what will it take to have a soul that waits on the Lord? What would it look like to have a steady soul? I invite you to talk to God about this. He knows your heart, and he knows the purposes he has for you. Ask God to show you what it means to have a soul that waits on the Lord.
Abiding happens daily in his presence. Abiding Daily is a simple and practical reminder to stay connected to the vine. Each prompt is inspired from the scriptures and designed to point you toward prayer and encounter. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To get the Daily Invitation sent to you every day click this link or text “Daily” to +1 (779) 237-3914.
