For the year of 2023, I have been in a season of waiting, and I still cringe at those words, even thought I’m the one saying them.

Growing up, whenever I heard talk of “I’m in such-and-such a season”, I thought it sounded so cliche and could not role my eyes enough. The Lord has really changed my mind about that, but I still have the eye-roll reflex.

This month specifically, the Lord has been closing almost every door I’ve been trying to walk through, and I’ve been forced to sit and process where I’m at in life. He’s been showing me what it means to wait, and why it’s important. Today, as I sat down to write, I was overwhelmed with conviction that this is the topic I should share. Specifically, acknowledging that waiting is hard, but why it is so good for us as christians, and to encourage anyone who is in that place now.

Let’s take a look at a few examples of waiting that we have in scripture.

1. Sara waited 90 years to have a baby (90 years in total, 25 years after she had received the promise from the Lord.
2. The man at the pool waited 38 years to be healed.
3. The woman who bled waited 14 years before touching Jesus’ garment
4. Joseph waited 13 years to see his family again
5. David waited 15 years to become King after being annointed
6. Jacob waited 14 years to marry Rachel
7. The Israelites wandered 40 years before finding the promised land

There are more examples of waiting in the bible, but these are the ones that stood out to me. In each of these circumstances, The Lord answered the prayers of the ones waiting. Let’s soak that in.

In each one of those circumstances, the Lord answered the prayers of the ones waiting.

Sarah had a biological child. The man at the pool was healed. The woman who bled was healed. Joseph was reunited and reconciled with his family. David became King. Jacob married his love, Rachel. The Israelites entered the Promised Land.

But what did it take? Sarah had to wait through 90 years of infertility, seeing women around her have the children she desperately wanted. The man at the pool and the woman who bled had to wait a combined 52 years through chronic illness before being healed, watching others be healed and move on in life. Joseph had to live in a foreign land, waiting 13 years to see his family again. (And I complained about a few months of lockdown??) Jacob waited through a 14 year engagement, being tricked into marrying another woman and doubling his work expectancy. The Israelites had to wait 40 years, watching their parents die before they could enter the promised land.

Waiting with hope when the path is clear can be easy, as it was for Jacob. To him, the years past swiftly because he was so in love. He knew he had to put in work, and at the end of it his bride would be waiting. He faced setbacks in the form of his father in-law doing a bait-and-switch, but adapted and stayed the course until the goal had been achieved.

But what about when the path isn’t clearly laid out before you? What about the woman who bled for years with no answers, and no hope or promise that her pain would ever end? Here I will stray from biblical examples for the sake of possibly resonating with one of you; What about the person who is longing for a child that you aren’t sure is in God’s plan for you? The single woman longing for marriage that is nowhere in sight? The person wanting a new job, but every interview ends in disappointment? The list of things we wait for is endless.

While it’s easy to beat each and every person waiting over the head with “Wait patiently for the Lord.” (Psalm 37:7), if you’re anything like me you feel deep in your soul that sitting around waiting for the Lord to act just doesn’t cut it. Verses like that one invoke (for me) an image of just praying and waiting for God to make things happen. While this is completely a way the Lord can work, I present to you that He wants movement from us, even in the waiting.

Here let’s take a look at examples of biblical “waiting”. Some waited on a promise, some waited without.

David waited for 15 years, but he didn’t spend that time writing his psalms in a journal, and pondering the future he wanted over a cup of coffee at Starbucks. David went to war, literally. He consistently did the next right thing that the Lord put in his path, and did not simply wait around until the promise would be fulfilled. He didn’t go back to his profession of shepherd for long, before allowing himself to be moved in places and ways that prepared him for the calling set on him. During this time he lamented, grieved, rejoiced, and learned to draw closer to the Lord.

The man at the well waited 38 years to be healed; each and every day putting himself in a place where he knew a healing experience was possible. He had no idea if he could be healed; God hadn’t specifically told him that it would happen. But he moved in hope every day, giving his all for the possibility that he would be. I cannot imagine having the faith and fortitude to keep trying after such a long time–decades! This man potentially spent around half of his life waiting for healing.

Jacob waited 14 years to marry Rachel. This was double the time that had initially be laid out before him. During that time he worked for her as part of the agreement, but he didn’t just show up and put in the time. His father-in-law’s wealth grew and flourished because of Jacob’s dedicated work. What did he get for his work? He got tricked into marrying the wrong sister, only to have to work another 7 years for the one he really wanted. Imagine the gutting sense of betrayal and defeat!

Now, to be clear, I’m not suggesting to you that in order to get the thing you are waiting for, that you must put in work. God’s promises are not reliant on human effort, but on His power. HOWEVER. It is much easier for the Lord to steer a car that is moving, than one that is resolutely sitting in the parking lot waiting to arrive at a destination. God calls us to walk by faith, not by sight. This means moving, trusting that He will guide our steps. If we simply sat around waiting, and the Lord made everything happen without anything difficult (like trusting) was required of us, we would be spoiled little spiritual children.

When we look at the root meaning of “wait patiently” from Psalm 37:7, the image that comes to mind is not a waiting room. The word means to wait expectantly, to dance, whirl, to writhe(as in child birth). Waiting is to be active and with motion!

I challenge you today, to pray and ask the Lord in what ways you can be actively waiting on Him, whether you are awaiting the fulfilling of a promise, or hoping in faith that your longings will be fulfilled. How can you draw closer to the Lord as you wait?

“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:17-18

The Lord is near to you, friend. He see’s and is well acquainted with your grief, longing, and all you hope will come to pass. Draw near to him and He will draw near to you. Your lot in life is not to get the short end of the stick. In the waiting the Lord will grow your faith, teach you, and nothing will keep Him from accomplishing His will in your life.

He is not slow to remember His promise.

Hugs,

-M