Waiting

An unmet need, a perplexing circumstance, a hoped-for deliverance—where is God in the midst of all this, and why doesn’t he seem to answer? In times of waiting, we can find ourselves emotionally fragile, and if we’re not careful, our faith can also take a hit. That’s why it’s vital to see what Scripture says about waiting.

1) A Pattern of Waiting
Abraham and Sarah were made to wait years before God’s promise to them was realized. Moses was basically sidelined for decades before he stepped into his ultimate calling of leading God’s people. Hannah had to wait until she knew the answer to her prayer for a baby. Jesus made Mary and Martha wait to receive back their brother Lazarus from sickness and death. In Scripture we find example after example of God’s people being made to wait. We see a pattern of waiting as God works in and through his people. Therefore, God is surely up to something in our waiting too.

2) Waiting Is Always Preparatory
We’re restless for results, but God is just as concerned with the actual process that gets us there as he is with the ultimate outcome. Look at the Bible’s heroes and how many of them were set apart on the sidelines or held captive to difficult (sometimes horrendous) circumstances before being called and empowered by God for their special task. Since we see this pattern in Scripture, doesn’t it stand to reason that God is preparing us for something too? Perhaps it’s preparation for a call to kingdom work. Perhaps it’s preparation to receive a blessing beyond our imagination. Perhaps it’s preparation to know Jesus more intimately in some sort of difficulty. We don’t know the personal particulars, but we do know that it’s always preparation for eternity.

3) Waiting Is Always a Test
Just consider Job (talk about waiting!). Job lost his livelihood and his children, and then he got sick. He waited for healing. And while he waited, his faith began to waver. Demanding, as Job did, that God explain his ways to us is always a sign of wavering faith. Doubting God’s goodness is another. How easy it is to question the goodness of God when he doesn’t act as we think he should! Waiting exposes our lingering unbelief, and it refines as gold the faith we have.

4) God blesses waiting.
The test of waiting is always worth it, and, whatever the outcome, we will see that God is worthy of our trust. Consider this:

Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame (Ps. 25:3)

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord! (Ps. 31:24)

Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land (Ps. 37:34)

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. (Ps. 62:5)

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him. (Isa 30:18)

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isa 40:28-31)

The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. (Lam 3:25)

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. (James 5:7)