People in our culture aren’t much good at waiting. We honk in traffic and are impatient at the doctor’s office. Personally, I get tired of waiting on my computer to boot.
But, the hardest kind of waiting may be waiting on God. If you’re anxious to hear news about an illness, or if someone is causing you pain in life, or if you miss a loved one, answers may seem like forever in coming.
If you struggle waiting on God, you are not alone. In Psalm 13, David cried out, “How long O Lord, will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” In the New Testament, Peter noticed that some scoffers questioned whether or not God would ever come back. They had no patience to wait upon the Lord.
If today, you’re struggling to wait upon the Lord you can find many passages of Scripture to encourage you. Read Psalm 37 carefully. David sang, “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; in just a little while the wicked will be no more. . . but, the meek shall inherit the land.”
And, in one of my all time favorite passages Isaiah wrote,
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.(Is 40:28-31).”
Be confident. God, in His timing, will accomplish His purposes. Very soon, the waiting of all Christians will be over forever. Christ is all.
I find it hard to wait on God. I am learning the hard way that His timing is not my timing:)
I also find that if I go ahead and do it my way in my timing, I miss out on so much from the Lord. For me this is the most discouraging part. To know that something great and wonderful is on the other side and to go ahead and do it my way anyway.
Yes, waiting has been the theme of my life for the last 2 years. I thought I was “good at” waiting. Ha! The Lord has shown me otherwise. I feel like it’s been Advent season for at least the past year and a half. Thanks for these words from God to remind me He’s waiting on and for!
Hi Chris! I saw your website mentioned in Jamie’s Christmas letter and checked it out today! Perfect posting to be reading today as I am in a very difficult season of waiting right now!
I am a control freak and so waiting, which is something completely beyond my control, is very difficult for me. I end up frustrated and try even harder to control other areas of my life…which isn’t always a good thing!
It was great to see a picture of the kids in the Christmas card and I hope you all are doing well!
Chris, this post is very timely for me today. its funny, i know you posted it several days ago, but God in His timing, didn’t allow me to read it until today. yesterday a friend sent me psalm 13 to read… this post would not have meant so much to me without pouring over that chapter last night.
i hate waiting. its hard. and i find in the process, it strips me of myself, which is painful. but oh, what a reminder to hear of the faithfulness of my God, even when i’m tired of waiting. i’m learning in this process that God’s timing in everything is best, and that He has my good in mind. what a comfort that is.
thanks.
Emily, thanks for your comment. That is encouraging.
My wife left me over 4 months ago and kidnapped our 3 children. She will not talk to me. I do not know why she is acting this way. I cry multiple times a day as I think of my kids and what I am missing in their lives. I am wrestling with God and trying to figure out how, as my Father, He can be doing this to me and to the kids. I am struggling to hold on to the promise that this will somehow make me and them more Christlike. My kids want to be back with me. And yet my wife stonewalls me. How long do I wait? I don’t know if I should file for divorce since she has abandoned our marriage and it seems the only way I am going to get to have my kids back (at least partially). Every day I think the pain is going to crush me and I pray God will restore my family, but there is only silence. I pray for wisdom and yet, I still seem clueless what to do.
Brent, I am so sorry to hear about the valley that you’re walking through.
I have experience with divorce both as a pastor and with my parent’s divorce. I pray that God will strengthen you as you go through this.
In terms of particular questions, the biggest single thing I could say is that if you are not actively a part of a Christ-centered, Bible teaching and preaching church – – that make it your mission to be really connected as soon as possible.
I pray that you will receive good news soon.