Wait or Seek?

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentations 3:25-26

Sounds good. But, should I “wait” for God or should I “seek” God? These verses in Lamentations illustrate a bit of the tension that I feel sometimes when I am in the midst of pain or difficulty. It is difficult to wait quietly when the world is crashing in. When my stress level escalates it seems that I want to find a way forward and experience some kind of relief. The sooner I find comfort, the better. The poetry of Lamentations is helpful. Recall that Lamentations describes the pain experienced in Jerusalem after God’s judgment. Lamentations 3 provides an oasis of hope in the midst of the lament. Though, at first glance, Lamentations 3:25-26 seems to send a bit of a mixed message, it’s really an affirmation of the same truth. In fact, I like the connection between what it means to “wait” for the Lord and what it means to “seek” the Lord. The two words are not really that far apart in principle. Both words remind me of a proper orientation during difficult times. “Waiting” has more to do with expectancy than passive resignation of hope. When I wait for the Lord, I begin to acknowledge that my life and my future is in His hands. That’s comforting to me. When I seek God, it helps me refocus my energy and my attention toward God and away from things that perpetuate a feeling of hopelessness. It is a reminder that God is my source of peace as well as perspective. Should I want for God or seek God? The answer is “yes”.