Patient Waiting by H. Clay Trumbull

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 20, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 32.

Patient Waiting.

By H. Clay Trumbull

"I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry." In some things we are a good deal like David. In other things he and we are quite unlike. We commonly touch him at the point of his weaknesses and failures, rather than at the point of his strength and fidelity. Here is a point where most of us are not just like David. All of us have cried unto the Lord; but not all of us have waited patiently for the Lord to answer our cry. Patient waiting is not a common attribute of childhood. Impatience and restlessness are the ordinary spirit of children—young or old. Our children are apt to be impatient. We are apt to be impatient as God's children. But this thing is true: if any of us have waited patiently for the Lord, our experience has been like that of David. We have found that the Lord has inclined unto us, and heard our prayer. Patient waiting on the Lord is not an easy thing to do; but it is one of the best things in the world for any child of God to do. It brings the patient waiter into the likeness of David so far. It pleases God. It secures everything that impatience could secure for us and a great deal more. Why shouldn't we wait patiently on the Lord? —H. Clay Trumbull.