According to the website Brainboost.com, the average person will spend 10 years standing in line over their lifetime.  I wonder how much time will be added on if they factored in waiting on the phone, waiting for a movie to start, or one of my favorite past times – waiting on God.

The Bible is full of stories of those who waited on God to move.  Joseph waited over 13 years before his prophetic promise was fulfilled.  Moses waited 40 years before he had his divine encounter with the flaming voice of God.  David waited in a cave as an exile until he eventually became King. Jesus waited 30 years before He was commissioned for public ministry.  Jesus made Mary and Martha wait for four days on His return to heal Lazarus.

Waiting can seem like such a waste of time.  I now try to take advantage of time waiting to spend on time reading.  Ironically, I like to read books on waiting and patience as I am waiting, not so patiently, for the doctor, dentist, etc.

Waiting can be good if the time is used wisely.  Parents use the months of pregnancy to prepare for the new baby.  As Christians, we can embrace waiting with the knowledge that God is preparing us for glory.  The Hebrew word for “wait” is literally “to entwine” — like strands of a rope twisted into one.  If God acted immediately every time we cried to Him, we would be in control and not Him.   I am glad that God is God and I am not.

Having to wait causes us to either grow anxious or learn to trust Him, to trust His timing.  Waiting on God is not easy. Often it seems that He isn’t answering our prayers or doesn’t understand the urgency of our situation. Often God uses times of waiting to refresh, renew, and teach us. Make good use of your waiting times by discovering through prayer, Scripture, and talking with your pastor what God may be trying to teach you.

I love the peace that comes from Isaiah 40:30-31.“Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”  This is a promise from God of the blessing that comes from waiting – renewed strength.  My strength is limited, but “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).