Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous.”

Stop for a minute… it says, “wait patiently on the Lord,” but then it is followed up with, “be brave and courageous.”

Why do you have to be brave and courageous if you’re waiting? Have you ever thought about that? Why would bravery and courage be the followup to waiting on the Lord? Waiting sounds like you’re just sitting doing nothing, twiddling your thumbs, watching paint dry.

So why would the scripture say, “be brave and courageous” in the time of waiting? What would happen in that moment of waiting that would cause you to have to practice being brave and courageous? That sounds like warfare. That sounds like doing something. That sounds like an active waiting. You better be ready for battle if you’re going to wait on God. It’s not sitting around being lazy. Remember, it doesn’t say, “Wait for the Lord and be restful and somber.”

The word waiting is not what we think of waiting in the sense of sitting on couch just kind of passing the time. That’s not what waiting means in this specific scripture. In fact, let’s break it down.

The word wait is the Hebrew word Kava. It was used in the context of tying ropes together. When you take all the strands of a rope and intertwine them together and you get a strong bond that becomes powerful and nearly unbreakable. This is what the author is trying to convey when we wait on the Lord. It’s being intertwined with the presence of the Lord and becoming stronger as a result. When we wait, we are literally being woven together with God’s strength.

There is purpose in waiting. There is power in waiting. There is potential in waiting. We are being prepared and strengthened for the outcome. So, if you are in a season of waiting don’t try to run from it, but rather, embrace it. Allow God to do what He needs to do in you in order to get you through.

Understanding scripiture can open up new possibilities for our faith. If you want to go further and dig into some great verses from the Bible I have a great resource for you that will help. Check out my newest book, Scripture Breakdowns: 12 Pivotal Verses Unpacked Line by Line.