⁷ Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for him;
do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way,
by the person who carries out evil plans. (Psalm 37:8 CSB)

Many translations of this verse tell us to “wait patiently” but I like the CSB translation that tells us to “wait expectantly.”

Maybe this is because I am not an overly patient person. However, I can wait expectantly much more easily. Expectation means that we are ready for the outcome, even though we may not necessarily know the fullness of that outcome. We experience God working in our lives through expectant waiting.

It can often seem that as we wait others are reaping rewards, but we must ask ourselves if those are rewards from God or from the world. The expectancy for God’s rewards brings lasting value where those of the world are fleeting. When we see others prospering we can get into the habit of comparison. God is focused on us, no one else. He is not comparing us against anyone other than His Son.

How are we doing against that measure?

Probably pretty poorly. But God sent His Son because He knew we could not come close to sinless perfection. So He shed perfect blood to cover our multitude of sins. We have now but to wait expectantly, do our best and know that God loves us and wants the best for us.