God tells us it is good for us to wait for him.
The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
(Lamentations 3:25-26)
Here are a few things God does for us when we wait for him:
- He humbles us
Waiting helps us realize that we are dependent creatures. We’re not the captain of our souls or in charge of our own destiny. We’re not self-sufficient, but we live by every mercy dispensed from God’s hand.
- He teaches us to seek him
Waiting on God is not passive. As we wait, we seek. We pray, we beseech God. We cry out “How long, O Lord?” We ask, and knock and submit our requests to God. If we got what we wanted right away, we wouldn’t draw near to God and we’d miss out on the joy of his presence.
- He teaches us to trust him
While we’re waiting for God to save our child or meet our needs we stretch our faith to the limit. We trust, though all our circumstances tell us to despair. As we wait, our trust grows.
- He builds patience and perseverance into us
The only way to get patience is to have to wait for something. Perseverance only comes through enduring trials, failures and persecution.
- He reveals what is in our hearts
What comes out of your heart when you don’t get what you want? Grumbling? Hard thoughts of God? Or praise and trust? When you can wait with a quiet heart, you know God has done a work in you.
- He helps us to treasure him above the things we are waiting for
He teaches us to find our contentment in him. He is our portion, not anything in this world. Only Jesus can truly satisfy us. No person or thing that we wait for can satisfy us like Christ.
- He makes mercy sweeter when it finally arrives
We appreciate blessings more when we’ve prayed and trusted and waited for them. We appreciate health more after sickness. And how much more will we enjoy our eternal weight of glory after our temporary, light afflictions.
photo by CmdrFire
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you so much for this. I really have a hard time with waiting, great reminder that I need to lean on God more
Hey Ajay,
Waiting's tough for me too. I don't think most of us like waiting. Thanks for your comment!
All these points are true and much needed reminders. This one: " He helps us to treasure him above the things we are waiting for." is such a huge and mighty one! But it brings joy in the midst of all the crazies!!! Thank you!
Thanks Petra!
Thanks so much for the reminders. I had a light bulb moment when you said that waiting on God helps us to seek Him more because when we get what we want right away, we wouldn't draw near to Him and thus would miss out on the joys of being in His presence. That is soooo true and the very thing that God has been trying to teach me. Thanks again.
Hi Bernadette, thanks! I'm glad the Lord would encourage you.
Waiting is probably the hardest thing to do… But also the most necessary.
The psalmist says:
Show me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
Lead me in thy truth, and teach me:
for thou art the God of my salvation;
on thee do I wait all the day. (Ps 25)
Thanks for adding in this Scripture, Paul
Thank you for sharing this. Waiting is my chief struggle now, and every point was true: waiting humbles us, and lets us see the goodness of God in the midst of the unknown.
Hi Lydia, I think that almost all of us have to wait for different things throughout our Christian lives – it's hard for me too in many ways…but it's worth it! Thanks for adding your comment!
Ahh thank you! Waiting is hard sometimes…This was needed encouragement and fresh reminder of God's goodness in the waiting. Thank you.
Hi Ruthann, I'm thankful the Lord would use this in some small way to encourage you! Thank you for letting me know.
Mark, where do you GET this stuff?? Oh wait, I think I know…. Man, this is good stuff. Will be meditating on this today. Thank you so much.
Hi Lisa, thanks for your encouragement. Wish I could say that it's original – I'm sure I've subconsciously stolen it from other people I've read over the years.
Mark, great post!
You seem to have a nack of posting completely apt posts when I seem to need them most!
I hate waiting, and grumble and moan, but God is gracious and puts up with me. Lots.
Thank you for the constant encouragement by your words – they have a profound affect and influence, so thank you!
Thank you Tom, for your kind words of encouragement! I agree – God is so patient and longsuffering with all of us…especially me.
Famous philosopher and scholar Tom Petty once said, "the waiting is the hardest part." And believe me…he was absolutely right.
But God's done wonderful work within me through making me wait for things. It's still not fun a lot of the time but I know He's in it and that's a big comfort.
Hey Jason, I'm going to have to listen to more Tom Petty songs. It is so hard to wait patiently for the Lord. I like your last sentence – knowing God is in it is a huge comfort!
I loved this post. What perfect timing.
I seem to be reading a re-occuring theme in many blog posts lately – all having to do on waiting on the Lord.
"But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." ~ James 1:4
I was reminded in church yesterday that God's timing is always perfect. This blog post has been in my e-mail since January waiting to be read, I finally got to it today, and the timing was indeed perfect. For quite awhile we have been waiting, praying, trying to figure out whether or not to try to push for reconciliation of some relationships between some members of our family and another family (that did not seem willing)–and submitting to our pastor/elder's counsel to wait. Just 2 days ago we received encouraging news that a request has been made of our pastor/elder to meet with 2 of the parties involved. It seems that God has indeed been working in hearts and perhaps we will indeed progress toward reconciliation now. Had we forced this meeting 2-3 months ago, the hearts would not have been ready. The waiting has been very difficult, but God is good and He has helped us to trust Him.
All I can say is "Amen" to all of the above. Waiting is sometimes necessary, and it brings us closer to God. We are also called to helped someone else who may go through what we are going through. It creates an ever-deepening trust and dependence on Him.
why didn’t Abraham wait for Isaac instead of listening to Sarah for Ishmael? wasnt he a righteous man?
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