It's good to think more deeply about the mercies of God in times of crisis. To help guide us in this effort, we'll consider Paul David Tripp's collection of meditations from Psalm 27 called "A Shelter in the Time of Storm." You can get your own copy on Amazon here.

Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the LORD!

Psalm 27:14

Is there anyone who likes waiting? How much more difficult is it when we're waiting on God for an answer - we have no idea when it will come and we often aren't even sure what it will be. We're never standing still in faith - even in these times of waiting, our faith is growing either stronger or weaker.

In this meditation, Tripp considers several of the "habits of unfaith" that can make our faith weaker while we wait. I also found this to be one of the most helpful (thus quotable) meditations in the book so far, so before I give the list of those habits I want to quote a few lines that caught my eye.

Waiting for the Lord isn't about God forgetting you, forsaking you, or being unfaithful to his promises. It's actually God giving you time to consider his glory and to grow stronger in faith. Remember, waiting isn't just about what you are hoping for at the end of the wait, but also about what you will become as you wait.

And also,

Sadly, this is the course [the habits of unfaith] that many people take as they wait. Rather than growing in faith, their motivation for spiritual exercise is destroyed...and the muscles of faith that were once robust and strong are now atrophied and weak.

What are these "habits of unfaith" that cause us so much harm?

• Doubt that questions God's wisdom, goodness, and love.
• Anger that convinces us we have been wronged by God and are the victims.
• Discouragement that suggests God has lost control and things will only get worse.
• Envy that resents what others have while we're in this time of waiting.
• Inactivity that prevents us from exercising spiritual disciplines.

The danger in situations of waiting is that we exercise these "habits of unfaith" and we begin to spiral in a worse and worse direction. Instead of seeing waiting as God's inaction, or as a punishment, we need to see it as a tool that God is using to do his good work in us. He is making us more like Christ in all things - we need that perspective to appreciate what he may be doing when he makes us wait.

One more,

...his focus isn't so much on what you will experience and enjoy, but on what you will become.

Questions to Consider

The questions are Tripp's. I included my answers in case they're helpful to read.

1. Where, right now, is the God of grace calling you to wait?

- Not funny Tripp. Not funny.

2. Which habits of unfaith are most tempting for you? What is God calling you to do to resist these temptations by his grace?

- Envy and inactivity. I get frustrated when I'm having to wait in ways that other people aren't while I fail to see the ways where they're having to do the same. Inactivity is always a risk - when you don't feel close to God you stop doing the very things you need to restore that feeling of closeness.