Waiting on Promises

Beloved Kinney,

As we’ve been working through Genesis, one of the themes we’ve seen unfold is the
theme of waiting. Waiting is hard. It is, as Paul Tripp said, “…living through those
moments when you do not understand what God is doing and you have no power to
change your circumstances for the better.” (Tripp, Broken Down House, 114) Or, in the
words of Mark Vroegop, “Waiting is a frequent and often painful reminder that
we’re not in control. God is.” (Vroegop, Waiting Isn’t a Waste, 39)

But waiting has a way of forcing us to depend on God more. What does it mean to
depend on God? Specifically, it means, depending on what he has promised us. It’s not
too helpful to cling to a generic idea of “depending on God” amid painful waiting. It’s
more helpful to depend on specific promises God has given to his people. Promises like
Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will
strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Spurgeon said, “…the promise [of God] is always a declaration of his sovereign will.”
(According to Promise, 43) Cling to that! Bank on that BECAUSE “[God’s] being [is] as
good as his word.” (According to Promise, 45) If his BEING (who he is) is good and true
and loving and dependable, then his WORD is just as much so. You cannot separate
God’s being/person from his word. “He must keep his word, this is an absolute
necessity: how else could he be God?” (According to Promise, 46).

To you who are in a painful season of waiting, cling to specific promises of God to help
you wait well and not waste your waiting.

Love,
Pastor Josh