What’s Up With The Waiting? 

Do you ever long to wish your waiting away? In this first lesson on waiting, we’ll explore the definition of waiting and get a better understanding of why God allows us to wait. You’ll find encouragement as you consider how many men and women of God have been called to a season of waiting too.

Hebrews 11:1, 6 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

I bet you hate waiting. So do I. So do most people in the world! In the era of Amazon Prime and instant everything, nobody likes to wait. Yet no matter who you are, waiting is part of your life. I know because it’s part of my life too. The issue is not that we wait but what it is we’re waiting for and why. This study is about waiting but more specifically an understanding of our desires as well as God’s desires for us. Why does God allow waiting in our lives? Why does God often seem so slow in answering the desires of our hearts? Those are the questions we’re going to answer in this study. 

But first, let’s start with a definition of waiting. I like to think of waiting as the space between where I am and where I long to be. It’s the space between what I have and what or who I wish would show up. 

You may be waiting for a man to show up just about now and sweep you off your feet, or maybe perhaps you’re still waiting on the woman of your dreams. You might be waiting for a promotion, or your dreams to come true. You might have a whole lot going for you, but if you’ve got your heart set on something you still don’t have, then you hear it loud and clear: tick tock, tick tock, the sound of the seconds crawling by. 

The fact is that your waiting season is not the exception – it’s the rule. We’re all waiting for something. A quick scan of God’s people and God’s ways show that God is a God who doesn’t mind waiting. A thousand years in his eyes are like a day, and a day like a thousand years. You can’t rush God. You can’t push God. You can’t even manipulate God. See, in Hebrews 11:1 we’re given a glimpse as to why. Now faith, God says, is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. See, waiting is about faith. It’s about control, or more specifically yielding control of your life to God. Waiting is about trust. Abraham had to learn it and waited 25 years for his son of promise, Isaac. Joseph had to learn it in prison. Moses waited 40 years in the wilderness for his calling. David waited for Saul to settle down before he became King. The stories are too many to count, but rest assured you’re not the first person to wait, but more significantly, you’re never alone in your waiting. See, while God may not be in a hurry, there is one thing you need to rest in, and it’s that He’s always on time! 

As you consider your season of waiting right now, what is it that you’re waiting for? Are you trusting God in your waiting? How can you tell?

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