I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul [waiteth] for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: [I say, more than] they that watch for the morning. - Psalm 130:5-6
I'm not sure about you but I just love waiting. Nothing can make my day go better than to show up for an appointment that I've had scheduled for over a month just to have to sit and wait. (if you didn't catch it, I'm being a little sarcastic, okay maybe a lot)
Most of us are not very good at waiting, as a matter of fact, we usually do a very bad job of waiting. When we go to doctor's offices, we must wait. When we have labs or a scan performed, we have to wait. We drop off our car and we wait. When life is uncertain, we have to wait.
Sometimes our waiting is only for a moment, other times it may seem like forever, such as when we're waiting on a diagnosis, a relationship, or what to do next. The Bible teaches us something about waiting. It shows us that waiting isn't bad, but how we choose to wait can be.
If you look up the definition of wait from the old testament, it is defined as, "to look for, to hope, or to expect.”
If we are honest, we don't usually wait with hope, or look expectantly but rather we just wait impatiently. Scripture continuously shows us that throughout the years people have had to wait.
Noah was 500 years old when God told him that the flood was coming and he was 600 years old when the flood actually came. He waited a hundred years.
Abraham and Sarah had to wait for their promised son, Isaac, for 25 years.
Joseph had a dream around the age of 17 that his brothers would bow before him and 22 years later his dream was fulfilled.
The children of Israel wandered through the wilderness for 40 years.
Caleb, one of the first spies that went out to look at the promised land, waited 45 years to get the land God promised him.
David was anointed king and rather than go straight to the throne, he had to wait 15 years before he would reign as prophesied. As a matter of fact, he not only had to wait for the fulfillment but he had to run for his life before he ever got to become king
So throughout scripture, we learn that waiting is part of life. So, rather than waiting in a way that is displeasing and disgruntled, what if we learn to wait well?
The psalmist repeatedly reminds us to not only wait on the Lord but that we are to wait patiently and earnestly for God. (Psalm 25:3, 5, 21 Psalm 27:14; Psalm 37:7, 9) Psalm 130:5 tells us that our soul waits for the Lord which is a reminder that we're not waiting in despair.
We should be waiting patiently, hopefully, and expectantly. We should be looking for the Lord to show up at the perfect time, not our time, not when we want it but at the exact moment it will bring God the most glory.
Do you remember the story of the blind man, “And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” - John 9:2 Jesus proceeds to explain that this blindness was for that appointed time so that God would be glorified.
So, what if we learn to wait well, understanding that in our waiting God is not withholding something good from us but waiting for that exact moment that it'll bring Him the most glory?
We live in a world that tells us we shouldn’t have to wait, that we should be able to have what we want and have it now. If we work hard enough and strive hard enough, then we deserve what we want, but the truth of the matter is we don't deserve anything.
It is through waiting that we can learn to appreciate that which is given.
So, rather than impatiently waiting for things to take place or being upset and letting our attitudes become ugly when we're asked to wait, or when things take longer than expected…we learn to ask the Lord, “What are you teaching me through this time? Show me where I can bring You the most glory through this waiting.”
It may be that He's going to send someone your way in that waiting room that you get to share Jesus with. It might be someone who's in despair and needs a little hope and because you didn't get called back for your appointment right on time, you are able to speak encouragement and truth and hope into their life.
So rather than impatiently waiting in frustration, what if we learned just to wait well, trusting in God's timing for our lives and in every moment?
My challenge to you this week, how are you waiting?
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