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Is It Okay to Take Action While Waiting on the Lord?

0:00 - Introduction 1:52 - Waiting on God Is Not Passive 2:53 - Do Not Fret: Lessons from Psalm 37 5:38 - How to Make Decisions When the Bible Is Silent 8:33 - Example: Waiting for Marriage 10:35 - How to Wait When You Feel Stuck 13:02 - Living with an Eternal Perspective 15:09 - Should You Wait for the "Perfect" Job? 18:03 - The Necessity of Biblical Wisdom 19:33 - Waiting for Justice and Forgiving Others 23:10 - Conclusion Related Sermons: Living In Light of the Incarnation - Pt.1:    • Living In Light of the Incarnation - Part ...   Living In Light of the Incarnation - Pt. 2:    • Living In Light of the Incarnation - Part ...   Living In Light of the Incarnation - Pt. 3:    • Living In Light of the Incarnation - Part ...   Living In Light of the Incarnation - Pt. 4:    • Living In Light of the Incarnation - Part ...   What To Do When We Are Waiting:    • What To Do When We Are Waiting | Acts 1:12-26   Abraham's Family of Faith:    • Abraham's Family of Faith - Hebrews 11:8-22   A Word to the Weary:    • A Word To The Weary | 2 Thessalonians 3:11-13   This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and host Dr. Josh Philpott tackle a practical and often confusing aspect of the Christian life: Is it okay to take action while waiting on the Lord? They revisit the biblical command to "wait for the Lord," found in passages such as Psalm 27:14 and Psalm 31:24, which encourage believers to be strong and let their hearts take courage. Yet, many Christians struggle to understand what this looks like in practice. Does waiting mean we become passive observers of our own lives, paralyzed until we receive a supernatural sign? Or does biblical waiting involve taking initiative, making big decisions, and exercising human responsibility while trusting in God's sovereignty? Dr. Caldwell answers these questions, defining waiting not as a passive state but as a dynamic "faith exercise" where the believer is actively engaged in trusting and obeying God. He explains that waiting on God is never an excuse for laziness or spiritual inactivity. Instead, it involves preaching truth to our own hearts about God's character—reminding ourselves that He is sovereign, loving, and always at work for our good, even when we cannot see the immediate results. Using Psalm 37 as a guide, the discussion highlights the command to "rest in the Lord" and "do not fret" over the schemes of wicked men. True biblical waiting means we continue doing what is right and walking in obedience, fully convinced that those who wait for the Lord will inherit the land. This is active waiting, where the believer fights the battle of faith by clinging to the promises of Scripture while navigating the difficulties of life. The conversation then moves to the complex area of Christian decision-making. How do we wait on the Lord when we have to choose whether to buy a home, change careers, or propose marriage? Dr. Caldwell points out that the Bible does not always give us a specific verse for every judgment call that we will face. In these moments, we must rely on biblical wisdom and the general principles of Scripture. If a believer is delighting themself in the Lord and their life is submitted to His Word, they can trust the desires God has placed in their hearts. Dr. Caldwell references Philippians 2:12-13 to show that God works in us "both to will and to work for His good pleasure," meaning He aligns our desires with His will as we seek Him. Therefore, taking action toward a godly desire—such as marriage—is not a lack of faith, but a demonstration of trusting God with your future. Dr. Caldwell and Dr. Philpott also discuss specific scenarios in which the tension between human responsibility and God's sovereignty can cause us to feel paralyzed. When faced with the need to make decisions, we often question ourselves about human responsibility vs. God’s sovereignty. For instance, if a man is unemployed, should he wait for the "perfect" job or take action to provide for his family immediately? Dr. Caldwell asserts that a man cannot claim to be waiting on the Lord while violating the biblical command to care for his household. In this case, waiting on the Lord might look like taking a difficult, less desirable job to fulfill his God-given responsibilities. This illustrates that taking action while waiting on God is often the very definition of obedience. The episode concludes with a look at justice and forgiveness, encouraging believers to release personal offenses to God, who is the ultimate judge. By doing so, we prove that we are trusting God's timing and His perfect justice. To navigate these situations with biblical wisdom, Christians must be saturated in the Word of God, ready to apply truth to every season of waiting.