I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 27:13-14

We are not good WAIT-ers. We don’t like waiting in lines at grocery stores, so they gave us self-check-out lanes and home delivery. We don’t like waiting for books in the mail, so we read them instantly on screens instead. We don’t even like to wait to go shopping, so it’s no surprise that Amazon appears to be taking over the world. But perhaps the most difficult waiting we do in our lives is when we are waiting on God. We pray for direction or for something we feel we need, but it often seems like He’s ignoring us, or that He obviously doesn’t understand the urgency of our situation. During those times, we want to jump ahead of God and run out in front, assuming He will just follow along and bless our decision to lead. When we do, however, we create more anxiety for ourselves than if we had waited for Him. Other times while waiting, we fill our lives with busyness, overwhelming our schedules so much that we are too busy to notice His activity in our lives, and there is definitely no blessing in that. 

We may never fully understand why God has us wait, but we can use those opportunities to grow our faith. Waiting on God helps us identify our true needs, because what we pray for this week, may seem completely wrong for us next week. Waiting can also help us refocus our attention, perhaps motivate us to step out and serve others, rather than obsessing about ourselves and our current needs. Waiting teaches us patience and endurance, but it also teaches us obedience. When we lean into God, seeking His heart in all circumstances, we grow. Because when we walk in obedience, He changes us, and there is always blessing in that. 

Jesus knows exactly what you need and when you need it better than you do. Rather than impatiently pulling away from Him while you wait, pull up close, sit at His feet, and spend time more with Him. When He doesn’t answer your prayers immediately, it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with your faith or your prayers. It may be about what He wants you to learn while waiting for His answer. Wait patiently on the Lord and trust His timing, because He may be teaching you something you could never learn otherwise. Then you will see His faithfulness, feel His love, and trust in His goodness—and there is SO much blessing in that! You are loved!