What Makes The Waiting So Hard?

Honestly speaking, waiting is hard for everyone. In this lesson we’ll try to identify certain patterns of thinking that make the waiting even harder. 

Waiting is hard. Sometimes for me, waiting can feel worse than a root canal and more painful than putting a screwdriver in my eye. Does that sound disgusting? That’s about how I feel about the waiting seasons in my life. In Psalms 37:7, David writes these words: “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices.” You don’t have to be a genius to understand that David struggled with the waiting. He was tempted to fret in the waiting. Life in the gap can be hard. When our eyes are fixed around us and we see all that is not happening in our lives right now, it can be discouraging. 

But a deeper look at the reason for our worry shows that there are certain patterns that make the waiting season even harder. Let’s consider these four heart conditions that stand against our peace and joy in the waiting.

1. Unrealistic expectations. One of the greatest reasons we sense disappointment and discontent in the waiting are our own unrealistic expectations. Instead of fixing our hope on Jesus, we fix our hopes on our own dreams and desires. We make our goals the measure of our happiness. We refuse to find peace until we find the man of our dreams. We refuse to find rest until we get so much money in our bank accounts. No wonder the waiting season is hard. In Psalm 62:1 we’re reminded that our expectations should rest in God alone. He alone is our hope and our joy. If you’re constantly disappointed in your Christian life, could it be that you’ve developed some unrealistic and perhaps ungodly expectations? Why not let go of them right now?

2. Unnoticed blessings. I’ve heard it said that gratitude is the attitude that makes life worth living. It’s true. Chances are that if you’re finding yourself frustrated by the waiting, you haven’t taken notice of all the blessings that are in your life right now. There are things we take for granted, like the sun rising every morning and oxygen. But there are also plenty of answers to prayers and divine appointments daily to rejoice in. 

3. Unfair comparisons. Nothing will send you into a pit faster than comparing your present life to someone else’s. We forget that when we look at someone else’s story, we might be comparing the middle of our story to the end of theirs. No wonder it’s been said that comparison is the thief of joy. If you find yourself bored in the waiting, resist the temptation to look at what everyone else is doing and fix your eyes on God’s promises instead. 

4. Unsurrendered desires. We’ve already discussed how waiting is always about the struggle for control. The struggle is usually between my desires for myself and God’s desires for me. Until we learn to yield all of our desires to God, even the good desires, and trust His goodness to provide for us exactly what we need when we need it, we will find the waiting season miserable. But the moment we surrender our desires on the altar is the moment we find freedom. 

Isaiah 30:15 promises that in returning and rest we will be saved, in quietness and in trust will be our strength. The verse goes on and says “but you were unwilling.” In your season of waiting, are you willing to rest in God’s promises and trust His goodness? When it comes to finding joy in the waiting, it starts when you choose to rest in the Lord no matter what.