Faith in the Waiting

The average person spends five years of their life waiting in lines. Five years. We wait at red lights, in doctor's offices, for phone calls to be returned, for test results, for that promotion. But there's a deeper kind of waiting that touches the core of who we are as people of faith.

Have you ever waited for something so long you began to wonder if it would ever happen? A healing that seems beyond medical reach... a job that could change everything... a breakthrough you've prayed for countless times... a loved one to return to the Lord?

I think of Mary and Martha, waiting by Lazarus's tomb. Four days of waiting that felt like a lifetime. Four days of questions: "Where is Jesus? Why didn't He come sooner? Doesn't He care?" Yet in that waiting, they were about to witness the greatest miracle of resurrection before Christ's own.

Waiting is one of the hardest things we do as people of faith, but it's also one of the clearest ways we live out faith in action. Today we'll discover that trusting in the Lord amidst uncertainty yields spiritual strength and renewal. We need to remain steadfast in our faith while waiting for God's promises in our lives. Waiting is an integral part of the Christian faith and it requires trust in God's character and timing.

Faith in the waiting transforms our trials into opportunities for deeper reliance on God and the assurance that He is working even when we cannot see it.

But here's what I want you to understand today: waiting isn't God's consolation prize for those who can't have what they want now. Waiting is God's workshop where He shapes us into the people who can handle what He wants to give us. The question isn't whether you're waiting - the question is whether you're waiting well.

Patiently Persevering in Prayer

Psalm 27:13–14 NKJV

13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. 14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

The Context of David's Waiting

David wrote these words not from a place of comfort, but likely during a time of conflict or danger. Look at the surrounding verses - his enemies wanted to "eat his flesh," false witnesses rose against him, and he felt abandoned by his own family. This wasn't theoretical theology but hard-won truth forged in the furnace of real struggle.

But notice something profound: David doesn't say "I have never lost heart." He says "I would have lost heart unless..." This is honest faith. David is admitting that without his belief in God's goodness, he would have given up. Your struggle to wait doesn't disqualify your faith - it reveals it.

The Hebrew Depth of Waiting

The Hebrew word for "wait" here is qavah, which means "to bind together" or "twist strands into a rope." In ancient times, rope-making was a skilled craft. Individual fibers were weak and easily broken, but when twisted together under tension, they became exponentially stronger. The twisting process required patience, skill, and sustained pressure.

This is what waiting does to our faith - it doesn't weaken us, it strengthens us like twisted cords becoming an unbreakable rope. Every day you choose to trust God despite uncertainty, another strand is added to your spiritual rope. The tension you feel isn't destroying your faith - it's strengthening it.

David commands us to "be of good courage" - the Hebrew word chazaq is actually a military term meaning "to seize, grasp firmly." This isn't passive courage but active, determined strength. David isn't suggesting we grit our teeth and endure - he's calling us to actively grasp hold of God's promises with the tenacity of a soldier in battle.

When David speaks of seeing God's goodness "in the land of the living," he's not just talking about earthly existence. He's referring to the realm where God's goodness is fully manifest - both now and in eternity. David expected to see God's goodness not just in heaven someday, but in his present circumstances.

The Paradox of Spiritual Strength

Here's what David discovered: spiritual strength doesn't come from getting what we want when we want it. It comes from learning to trust God's character when we can't understand His timing. David's confidence didn't come from his circumstances, but from God's character.

Waiting equals trusting that God is doing something good even when we can't yet see it. It's believing that God's delays are not God's denials - they're God's preparations.

Think about it this way: a mother doesn't give her toddler a sharp knife, not because she doesn't love him, but because she does. The child may cry and demand the knife, but the mother's "not yet" is actually her deepest expression of love. Sometimes God's delays are His protection.

Living This Out

Application: What are you waiting on right now? Create a "waiting journal" this week - record what you're waiting for and watch for ways God is working even in the delay. Even in our struggle to wait, our desire to keep trusting shows the spark of faith God is nurturing in us.

But here's what I want you to write in that journal: not just what you're waiting for, but who you're becoming while you wait. Are you becoming more patient? More dependent on God? More compassionate toward others who are struggling? The waiting itself may be God's gift.

Reflection Question: What would change about my waiting if I truly believed God's character is good?

Action Step: Choose one area where you're waiting and commit to pray about it daily for the next week, asking God to strengthen your faith like twisted rope.

2. Quietly Questing for God’s Goodness

Lamentations 3:25–26 NKJV

25 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. 26 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the Lord.

The Darkest Context

These words come from one of the darkest books in the Bible. Jeremiah wrote this in the aftermath of Jerusalem's destruction in 586 BC. He had witnessed cannibalism, starvation, and the destruction of God's temple. The city walls were broken, the temple was in ruins, and the people were in exile.

This isn't the hopeful optimism of someone who's never suffered - this is battle-tested faith forged in the crucible of national devastation. Jeremiah had every reason to give up on God. Every reason to conclude that God had abandoned His people. Every reason to stop waiting.

Yet notice where these verses appear - right in the middle of Lamentations, verses 19-33 of the book. Hope literally at the heart of despair. The structure is intentional. Jeremiah placed his affirmation of God's goodness at the center of his lament, like a diamond in a dark setting.

The Hebrew Understanding of Quiet Waiting

The Hebrew phrase "wait quietly" is dumam - it means "to be silent" or "still," but this isn't resigned passivity. It's contemplative, expectant silence - like a hunter waiting for the perfect moment to act. There's alertness in this stillness, anticipation in this quiet.

And "seeks Him" is darash - intensive seeking, like a detective investigating a case. This word is used for studying Scripture, for seeking God's will, for pursuing wisdom. Even in our quiet waiting, we're actively pursuing God. We're not passive victims of circumstance - we're active participants in God's unfolding plan.

The Discipline of Sacred Silence

Jeremiah's words teach us that waiting quietly for salvation is not passive but active trust. Christ assures us that God's plans are trustworthy even in our deepest challenges.

But let me be honest with you: this is hard. We live in a culture that equates action with progress and silence with giving up. We're trained to do something, fix something, control something. The discipline of sacred silence goes against every instinct we have.

Yet this is where spiritual maturity is born. Quiet waiting is not passive - it's active, faith-filled surrender. Faith in action means we don't try to fix what God is working on. We stay still, stay humble, and stay open.

The Fruit of Faithful Silence

When we learn to wait quietly, several things happen:

First, we stop making things worse. How many times have we tried to "help" God and ended up complicating the situation? Abraham and Sarah tried to help God fulfill His promise through Hagar - and created generations of conflict. Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is get out of God's way.

Second, we develop spiritual sensitivity. In the noise of our striving, we often miss God's whispers. But in the quiet of surrendered waiting, we become attuned to His voice. We notice His subtle movements, His gentle guidance, His quiet preparations.

Third, we cultivate patience that transforms our character. Patience isn't just about waiting - it's about who we become while we wait. Are we becoming bitter or better? Are we becoming anxious or anchored? Are we becoming demanding or dependent?

Living This Out

Application: Schedule daily "quiet waiting" time - just 5-10 minutes of silent prayer where you're not asking for anything, just being present with God.

Start small. Five minutes can feel like an eternity when you're used to constant activity. But in that silence, you'll discover something profound: God is already present. He's not waiting for you to say the right words or make the right requests. He's waiting for you to simply be with Him.

Reflection Question: What am I trying to control that I need to surrender to God's timing?

Action Step: Identify one way you're "helping" God this week and commit to stepping back, trusting His work instead of your effort.

3. Hopeful Holding in Hope

Romans 8:24–25 NKJV

24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Paul's Qualified Authority

Paul wrote these words to a church facing persecution under Nero. His theology of suffering wasn't theoretical - he wrote from prison, knowing what it meant to wait in uncertainty. Paul had experienced shipwrecks, beatings, imprisonment, and rejection. When he talks about waiting with perseverance, he's not speaking from an ivory tower - he's speaking from the arena of suffering.

Paul ties our waiting to our salvation - we are people who live in the tension of the "already but not yet." We don't see everything fulfilled now, and that's the point. If we could see everything clearly, we wouldn't need faith. If all our prayers were answered immediately, we wouldn't need hope. If everything worked out perfectly, we wouldn't need perseverance.

The Greek Dynamics of Hope

The Greek word for "hope" here is elpis - not wishful thinking but confident expectation based on God's character. This isn't hoping against hope - it's hoping because of hope. It's not optimism about circumstances - it's confidence in God's promises.

When Paul says we "eagerly wait," he uses apekdechomai - intense anticipation, like a runner straining toward the finish line. This isn't passive resignation - it's active expectation. It's the difference between waiting for a bus (you don't know when it's coming) and waiting for a wedding (you know exactly when it's happening).

And "perseverance" is hupomone - not passive endurance but active, victorious steadfastness. This word was used of soldiers who held their position despite overwhelming odds. It's not just hanging on - it's standing firm with confidence in ultimate victory.

The Cosmic Context

Our hope is forward-facing - faith looks past the moment into the eternal. Hope seen is not hope at all. Christian hope transforms waiting into faith-building opportunities. With Christ as the anchor of our hope, our waiting gains purpose, helping us trust God's invisible yet powerful work.

But here's the cosmic perspective that changes everything: all creation waits with us. Romans 8:19-22 tells us that creation itself groans, waiting for redemption. The earthquakes, the storms, the natural disasters - they're not random events. They're creation's labor pains, longing for the day when Christ returns to make all things new.

Your individual waiting reflects humanity's collective waiting for Christ's return. We're not waiting alone - we're part of God's great redemptive timeline. Every prayer you pray, every tear you shed, every moment you choose to trust - it's all part of the grand narrative of redemption.

The Transformation of Waiting

When we understand that our waiting is part of God's eternal plan, it transforms how we wait. We're not victims of circumstance - we're participants in God's story. We're not forgotten by God - we're being prepared for glory.

This doesn't make the waiting easy, but it makes it meaningful. This doesn't eliminate the struggle, but it gives it purpose. This doesn't answer all our questions, but it anchors us in God's sovereignty.

Living This Out

Application: Find a "hope partner" - someone who can encourage you in your waiting and hold you accountable to trust God's timing.

Choose someone who will pray with you, not just for you. Someone who will remind you of God's faithfulness when you're tempted to doubt. Someone who will challenge you to grow in your waiting, not just endure it.

Reflection Question: How does the promise of Christ's return change my perspective on current waiting?

Action Step: Memorize Romans 8:24-25 this week and recite it whenever impatience threatens your peace.

The Trinity and Our Waiting

Our waiting is held by the entire Trinity, and this gives us profound comfort and perspective.

The Father's Perfect Timing: Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us there's a time for everything under heaven. The Father sees the end from the beginning. His timing isn't delayed - it's perfect. He knows exactly when to move, when to provide, when to answer. What feels late to us is precisely on time to Him.

The Son's Empathetic Understanding: In Gethsemane, Jesus didn't pretend the waiting was easy. He wept. He sweat blood. He asked if the cup could pass - but He still trusted the Father's will. Your waiting doesn't have to be emotionally tidy to be spiritually faithful. Jesus understands the agony of waiting for God's will to unfold.

The Spirit's Interceding Presence: Romans 8:26-27 tells us that when we don't know how to pray, the Spirit prays for us with groanings too deep for words. When you're so exhausted from waiting that you can't even form words, the Spirit is interceding for you. You're never alone in your waiting.

When Waiting Doesn't End as We Hope

I need to speak pastorally here, because not everyone's waiting will end with earthly fulfillment. Some of you are waiting for things that may never come in this lifetime. The prodigal child who doesn't return. The healing that doesn't happen. The breakthrough that seems permanently delayed.

This doesn't negate God's goodness - it requires mature faith that trusts His character over specific outcomes. Sometimes God's "no" or "not yet" is His greatest gift, though we may not understand it until eternity.

Joni Eareckson Tada has been waiting for 55 years for healing from paralysis. She's prayed, been prayed for, sought medical treatment, and believed for miracles. The healing hasn't come in the way she expected. But she'll tell you that her greatest healing hasn't been physical - it's been spiritual. God has used her waiting to touch millions of lives around the world.

Sometimes God's greatest gift isn't giving us what we want - it's using our waiting to accomplish something far greater than we could have imagined.

Biblical Examples of Faithful Waiting

Let me remind you of some biblical heroes who waited well:

Noah waited in the ark for 40 days and nights, but God was working to preserve life on earth.

Joseph sat in prison for years before his elevation, but God was working to position him to save nations from famine.

Israel waited in exile for 70 years, but God was working to purify His people and prepare them for restoration.

Abraham waited 25 years for Isaac, but God was working to establish a covenant that would bless all nations.

Hannah waited years for a child, but God was working to give her Samuel, who would anoint kings.

David waited 15 years between his anointing and his coronation, but God was working to prepare him for leadership.

The persistent widow in Luke 18 teaches us that God responds to faithful persistence. Job's story shows us that waiting can lead to restoration beyond our imagination. Jesus himself waited 30 years before beginning His ministry - even the Son of God honored divine timing.

And God is working while you wait. He's not idle. He's not indifferent. He's not inefficient. He's preparing you, preparing others, preparing circumstances, preparing the perfect moment for His perfect will to unfold.

The Spiritual Disciplines of Waiting

While we wait, we can practice spiritual disciplines that strengthen our faith:

Prayer: Not just asking for what we want, but aligning our hearts with God's will.

Scripture Study: Immersing ourselves in God's promises and character.

Worship: Praising God for who He is, not just what He does.

Service: Using our waiting seasons to serve others who are also waiting.

Fellowship: Connecting with others who understand the struggle of waiting.

Gratitude: Choosing to thank God for what He's already done while we wait for what He's yet to do.

Conclusion

Waiting doesn't mean God is absent. It often means He's preparing. Faith lifts our eyes off the clock and onto Christ. Don't let impatience rob you of perspective. God's delays are not God's denials - they're God's preparations.

One day, all waiting will end - not because we've claimed what we want, but because Christ returns to make all things new. Until then, we wait with hope, because we know who we're waiting for.

We're waiting for the One who holds the keys to death and hell. We're waiting for the One who promises to work all things together for good. We're waiting for the One who will wipe away every tear and make all things new.

Our waiting has an expiration date. His faithfulness doesn't.

Call to Action

Let's respond together:

Name it: Be specific about what you are waiting for.

Anchor it: Choose a verse that anchors you in God’s promises, not outcomes.

Frame it: Reflect on how God might be using this season

Share it: Invite someone to walk with you in prayer.

This is not about naming and claiming an outcome—it’s about naming our need and anchoring ourselves in God’s faithful character.

Let's pray together: "Lord, we choose to trust. We say with David: 'I will see the goodness of the Lord.' Help us wait with hope - not as prisoners of circumstance, but as children expecting our Father to come through. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Remember: You’re not just waiting for something to happen. You’re waiting for Someone to work. And He always does.