by Leigh Ann Dilley on December 11, 2024
Everyone waits for something. Kids wait for Christmas, teens wait for a driver’s license and then, graduation. Singles wait to meet future spouses; expectant parents wait for their unborn child. We wait for job offers, and promotions. We wait in retail lines, in traffic, for appointments and in airports. The list is endless. Not a day goes by when we don’t wait for something. Yet, we have very little tolerance for waiting and not much skill at patience.
Examples of waiting from the Bible are numerous. They include, but are not limited to Abraham and Sarah, Joseph, Moses, Esther, Mary and Elizabeth, and Paul.
Advent is a season of “waiting”. The word “wait” appears 106 times in the Bible, even more if you consider the various derivatives of the word. Any time a concept is repeated in scripture, it’s an important theme. So, what are the aspects of waiting that are so important?
God’s time is crucial. Waiting forces us to sit in our weakness. When we are forced to wait, circumstances are out of our control. If we want to be obedient and receive God’s best, we wait. If we ignore God’s direction and/or get ahead of Him, we put ourselves and others at risk. If a student leaves high school early, they won’t receive their degree. If we don’t obey common traffic laws, we could hurt someone. If dating relationships are rushed or if a baby is born prematurely, the results can be devastating. In our instant world, patience is an unpracticed, yet important skill. It can be excruciating to wait, but if we run ahead of God’s plan, we can create messes that, in turn, we need His help to clean up.
Waiting develops our faith. Lately, I heard it said that while we wait, God is preparing us for what He has prepared for us. Isaiah 30:18b Blessed are those who wait for his help. While we wait, God is working. Sometimes, it is us He needs to prepare. Perhaps we need to mature, or our priorities need to shift, or He needs to reveal a sin to us. Other times, it’s circumstances or hearts of others He needs to prepare or change. Things move slowly because people change slowly. Again, if we rush the circumstances, we could delay God’s plan or not receive His best.
Waiting reveals the character of God. We are not forgotten children! Your prayers have been heard. (Luke 1:13) Nothing compares to a long-awaited answer to fervent prayer. In the meantime, God builds the endurance of our faith and perfects our faith. He matures us to trust Him more and He gives us His peace. He never leaves us. But, like most things with Christ, we must choose to place our trust, hope and faith in Him.
Have you ever experienced a blessing that was better than you expected? Ephes. 3:20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. We serve a big God! He is good! He is always working for our good. (Romans 8:28) Psalm 27:13 I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.
As we wait this advent season, let it be in hope. Spend some quiet time remembering what God has already done for you and for mankind, and then set your mind on the hope of what Christ has yet to do. He has plans for you and is coming back!
