Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Psalm 27:14
Easier said than done. The fact that we know waiting on God is a good thing doesn’t make it any easier. The fact that we’ve seen how He’s worked things out in the past doesn’t help us. And yet, the Bible says over and over, wait. Be patient.
Here are some things I know about waiting:
It’s hard.
I am weary with my crying; my throat is dry; my eyes fail while I wait for my God. (Ps. 69:3)
Scripture is full of stories of folks who had to be patient, and who got frustrated at the seeming delay. It was 25 years from the time God first called Abraham until he saw Isaac born. Caleb waited 40 years to take possession of his inheritance in Canaan. Joseph spent 13 years in Egypt before he was vindicated in Egypt. The saints in Revelation wait to be avenged. There are dozens more examples. None of them had an easy time.
It takes faith.
For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. (Gal. 5:5)
But everyone who waits, exercises faith in God who makes the promises. It is a sign of trusting God for the outcome and fulfillment. Rather than taking things into our own hands, waiting is a sign of submission to God’s plan and His timing.
God rewards it.
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. (Lam. 3:25)
Faith in God is never in vain, and He always keeps His promises.
Even God waits.
Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. (Is. 30:18)
Learning to wait on God’s timing actually makes us more like Him.
Contrary to our gut instinct, having to wait is not a punishment or a sign of God’s disfavor. It is a reminder that His plan works according to His time and not ours.
