Waiting For God

'You cannot get far in these essays without sensing yourself in the presence of a writer of immense intellectual power and fierce independence of mind.' - Janet Soskice, from the Introduction to the Routledge Classics edition Simone Weil (1909–1943) is one of the most brilliant and unorthodox religious and philosophical thinkers of the twentieth century. She was also a political activist who worked in the Renault car factory in France in the 1930s and fought briefly as an anarchist in the Spanish Civil War. Hailed by Albert Camus as 'the only great spirit of our times,' her work spans an astonishing variety of subjects, from ancient Greek philosophy and Christianity to oppression, political freedom and French national identity. Waiting for God is one of her most remarkable books, full of piercing spiritual and moral insight. The first part comprises letters she wrote in 1942 to Jean-Marie Perrin, a Dominican priest, and demonstrate the intense inner conflict Weil experienced as she wrestled with the demands of Christian belief and commitment. She then explores the 'just balance' of the world, arguing that we should regard God as providing two forms of guidance: our ability as human beings to think for ourselves; and our need for both physical and emotional 'matter.' She also argues for the concept of a 'sacred longing'; that humanity's search for beauty, both in the world and within each other, is driven by our underlying desire for a tangible god. Eloquent and inspiring, Waiting for God asks profound questions about the nature of faith, doubt and morality that continue to resonate today. This Routledge Classics edition includes a new Introduction by Janet Soskice and retains the Foreword to the 1979 edition by Malcolm Muggeridge.

"The great lack of our religion is, we do not know God." There is only one way to know God, and that is to spend time with God. In this age of instant gratification, quick access to information, and high speed everything, connecting with God is difficult because the act of waiting has become obsolete. If the answer is knowing God, if He is indeed “the one great remedy”, then learning to wait is vital. Andrew Murray's Waiting on God contains 31 daily meditations that will guide readers into the heart and the act of waiting on the Lord, shifting the focus from one’s personal needs and petitions to resting in the loving, living presence of God. South African writer, teacher and pastor, Andrew Murray (1828-1917), devoted his life to providing practical instruction to Christians everywhere, to guiding Christ-followers into deeper intimacy with the Lord. He believed—deeply and profoundly—that there was more of God to know, always more to understand, and that this pursuit would unlock belief and expectation for every believer. In this compelling devotional, Murray explains the mystery of waiting on God with relevant scripture, fascinating insights, and individual and communal challenges to: Wait on the presence of God Surrender to Him Connect with Him intimately Acknowledge His blessings Trust Him to provide Spending time with God leads to knowing Him. Knowing him leads to comprehending all that He can do. Murray’s Waiting on God is an invitation to engage in a true encounter with God, to make more space for “Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us...” (Ephesians 3:20, NIV).

We have all experienced a disconnect between God's promises to us and our everyday reality. We wait, without understanding why. We want to know God's plan so that we can trust it--but God so often hides his plan so that we will trust him. What can we do in the meantime as we are waiting for an answer, a change, or a miracle? With deep compassion, Wayne Stiles helps readers understand why God makes them wait. Unpacking the Old Testament story of Joseph, Stiles shows readers how to find comfort and opportunity in the time between God's promises and his answers, revealing the perspective-altering truth that sometimes when we think we are waiting on God, he is actually waiting on us. Anyone who has felt a disconnect between God's promises and their reality, who doesn't know what God wants them to do next, or who struggles with the brokenness of their world will find in Wayne Stiles a wise and trustworthy guide to finding peace in the pauses.

These eight-session LifeGuide® Bible Study by Juanita Ryan help you draw near to God in times of uncertainty and postponement. As she leads you and your group through significant moments of waiting in Scripture, you will become familiar with the dynamics of such times and learn to hear God?s call to rest in his timing.

Trusted pastor and bestselling author Dr. Charles Stanley offers words of comfort and patience to anyone waiting for the answer to their prayers. Are you waiting for God to answer your prayers? Do the days, weeks and years go by without evidence that your deepest longings could ever come true? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, you are facing a common faith-building challenge in the Christian life, and this book has the guidance you need to endure victoriously. God has very special plans for your life, and the way He most often prepares you for them is through times of directed, active, purposeful waiting. So through timeless, biblical teaching, Dr. Stanley gives you the practical wisdom you need to make the most of the delays and follow God’s lead to the blessings you long for. With counsel for staying on track when the tunnel is getting dark, claiming God’s promises, and finding purpose in the waiting, Dr. Stanley draws on personal experience and biblical principles to offer you encouragement and guidance no matter where you are in your spiritual journey.

Awaiting God (218 pages) combines a fresh translation (by Weil scholar, Brad Jersak) of Simone Weil's 'Waiting for God' and 'Letter to a Priest' (Attente de Dieu and Lettre un Religieux) in one volume. These works are considered Weil's primary essays and letters. In addition, Simone Weil's niece has contributed an introductory article entitled, 'Simone Weil and the Rabbi's: Compassion and Tsedekah, ' which puts Weil's relationship with Jewish thought into perspective. She includes source material from the Rabbis that put Weil (however reluctantly) in line with rabbinical thought throughout her major themes. The book is the ideal English introduction to the works and thought of Simone Weil, including important preface material (by Jersak) on how to read her work, as well as her relationship to Roman Catholicism and Judaism. The book includes: Part 1 - Essays 1. Reflections on the Right Use of School Studies in View of the Love of God 2. The Love of God and Affliction 3. Forms of the Implicit Love of God a. Love of Neighbor b. Love of the Order of the World c. Love of Religious Practices d. Friendship e. Implicit and Explicit Love / 99 4. Concerning the Our Father Part 2 - Letters Preface to her letters: Weil on Catholicism and Judaism 5. Hesitations Prior to Baptism / Jan 1942 - Fr. Perrin 6. Hesitations Prior to Baptism / 1942 - Fr. Perrin 7. Departure from France / Apl 1942 - Fr. Perrin 8. Spiritual Autobiography / May 1942 - Fr. Perrin 9. Intellectual Vocation / May 1942 - S. 10. Last Thoughts / May 1942 - Fr. Perrin 11. Letter to a Priest / Nov 1942 - Fr. Couturier

What if God wants you to wait? Most of us know what it’s like to wait for God to change our circumstances. But, whether we’re waiting for physical healing, emotional breakthrough, or better relationships, waiting is something we usually try to avoid. Why? Because waiting is painful and hard. The truth is, it’s also inevitable. In Still Waiting, Ann Swindell explores the depths of why God wants us to wait by chronicling her own compelling story of waiting for healing from an incurable condition. She offers a vibrant retelling of the biblical account of the Bleeding Woman that parallels her story—and yours, too. Let Ann help you see the promise that is hidden in the ache of waiting and the hope of what God can—and will—do as you wait on him.

A job, a true love, a baby, a cure. . . We’re all waiting for something from God. And the place between His answers can feel like a wasteland where dreams—and faith—go to die. When we’re waiting, we wonder, “Why?”, “Why me?”, and “How long?” But the truth? . . . When God says, “Wait,” He doesn’t tell us for how long. When God says, “Wait,” we face one of life’s greatest tests. When God says, “Wait,” we have decisions to make. When God says, “Wait,” we can control only two things: how we wait, and who we become along the way. Author Elizabeth Laing Thompson invites you to walk alongside people of the Bible who had to wait on God. . .imperfect heroes like David, Miriam, Naomi, Sarah, Joseph, and others. Their stories will provide a roadmap for your own story, helping you navigate the painful, lonely territory of waiting, coming out on the other side with your faith, relationships, and sense of humor intact. They might even help you learn to enjoy the ride. This book is about the journey of waiting, the space between answers, and the people we become while we live there.