Waiting for God

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him.” Psalm 62:5

Waiting. It’s one of the hardest things in life to do. From the smallest, most mundane things to the biggest life changing things, waiting is hard. We can make all the right choices and responses, but it doesn’t make waiting any easier. It doesn’t speed up the process. It doesn’t relieve the pressure. Waiting is simply that—waiting.

I’ve done a lot of waiting in the last 9+ years. In fact, it seems like that’s all I’ve done. Wait for one thing after another. Wait for answers. Wait for change. Wait for understanding. I’ve gotten tired of waiting. I’ve gotten frustrated with waiting. I’ve battled to keep hope alive while waiting. But—I’ve waited! And waited!

Waiting involves patience. Without it, you can’t keep waiting. You have to take a deep breath, even sigh a little bit, and be patient. You can’t fight the waiting—it is what it is, so you must be patient.

Waiting also involves trust. Without trust there’s no basis for the waiting—and the hope. Trust has to be the foundation for our waiting. Trust that God sees our situation, that He is at work in it, and that He has answers. Trust that He has a plan. Trust that He will help us wait. Trust that He won’t give us more than we can bear. Trust that He will be faithful to us while we wait. And continuing to trust if the answer comes and it wasn’t what we thought it would be!

In this world of instant everything, waiting almost seems like it should be a thing of the past. But God doesn’t see it that way. He has plans and purposes for our waiting. The prayers we have prayed hundreds of times. The promises we hold close to our hearts wondering when they will be fulfilled. He has heard every prayer, and His promises are sure and true. But we usually have to wait for the answers. Waiting is one of the ways God works in our lives. He doesn’t see it as wasted time. He uses it to draw us close to Him.

While I don’t like the waiting, I do my best to wait patiently. And I tell the Lord daily that I trust Him. I also ask Him to help me to wait and not create answers that are mine and not His. He is good and faithful. In His timing, the waiting will be over.

Lord, help us to trust You in the waiting times. We know You are working. Help us not to “help You,” as if You needed our weak arms, our incomplete understanding, and our inferior wisdom. We trust You, and when Your purposes are fulfilled, You will accomplish all Your will. Amen.