Now, if you are anything like me, you are not good at waiting.
Perhaps it’s waiting at traffic lights, waiting for the results of a test, waiting for a business or a project to take off … or dare I say it, waiting for your spouse to get ready.
However, in my experience, one of the most frustrating waits that I have experienced is ‘waiting’ for God.
Often it seems like we have prayed but God is not listening or we have prayed and God has told us to wait. His timing rarely ever seems to be our timing.
That can be exhausting.
How to wait well
As I have studied God’s Word, I have found a number of keys to waiting well.
1. Being strong
It’s in the waiting that we can become weary and give up, but yet we know that’s exactly what the enemy would have us do. Perhaps that’s why scripture reminds us so often to be strong. For me, being strong is a decision that I have to make, rather than deciding to give up.
The first part of Psalm 27:14 says “Wait for the Lord; be strong” and Isaiah 40:31 goes on to tell us that “they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
2. Taking courage
In a season of waiting, when there seems to be no breakthrough, it can be tough enough to just keep going. It’s easy to become disillusioned and even discouraged. That’s why I believe the second part of Psalm 27:14 tells to “let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”
Courage will enable us to continue to step forward in faith, while others shrink back in fear.
3. Abiding in God’s Word
Fundamental to ‘waiting well’ is to stay in God’s Word. The enemy will do all he can to keep us from God’s Word, because He knows the Word of God is the anchor that will keep us grounded in the storms of life.
In Psalm 130:5 the Psalmist tells us “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;"
May we to learn to dwell in God’s Word while we wait for His ways to unfold in our lives, families, workplaces and communities.
4. Knowing that there is purpose in the waiting
Why can’t God just do it now?
That’s a question I asked on more than one occasion. In my frustration, I questioned why God couldn’t heal me now, save my children now, bring financial breakthrough now.
Yet we know that God is working in the waiting… and often he’s working on shaping and refining us for a season we cannot yet see.
Lamentations 3:25 tells that “The Lord is good to those who wait for him” and Psalm 37:34 tells us “Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land.”
We may not understand God’s timing, but yet we know His timing is best.
5. Knowing that God is working on our behalf
One of the most frustrating parts of waiting is the feeling that nothing is happening and no one is doing anything about it. However that is not the case with God.
Isaiah 64:4 tells us “From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.”
God is a working on our behalf while we are waiting. We may not see anything happening and we may not sense that any progress is being made but we can be assured God is working on our behalf, if we wait on Him.
Exodus 14:14 even says: "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
6. Knowing God’s plans are good
Waiting for an uncertain outcome can be a long, painful wait, especially if we think the outcome could be bad.
However when we wait for God we can be certain that God is good, even if the outcome is not the one we would have chosen.
In Lamentations 3:25 we are told: “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” Isaiah 30:18 goes on to say: “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;”
Resting in the assurance of God’s goodness helps us to wait well.
7. Trusting in His timing
They say that ‘timing is everything’ but yet we find it hard to wait on the timing of the one who holds time in His hands. At times I have wondered if God was the creator of ‘lastminute.com’.
Often in the season of waiting we can lose hope and give up doing what we know we should do. However Galatians 6:9 reminded us “not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
His timing is perfect and He will fulfil His Word.
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise” - 2 Peter 3:8
8. Not being distracted by the success of others
The final straw, for those in a waiting season, can be when we see others receive their answer before we receive ours.
We try to be happy when we see others receive their miracle or their breakthrough, even though they may not appear to be walking with the Lord the way we are … but yet we want to scream out to the Lord ‘what about me!’
Psalm 37:7 tells us “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way.”
Our focus needs to remain firmly on the Lord, not what is happening to others.
May God help us to remain focused on Him.
and finally …
I’m not good at waiting … but I trust the keys and scriptures given in this article are helpful to you, wherever you are waiting on God.
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