Waiting Done Well

Waiting is seldom done well.  It's much more akin to nervous tension than to peaceful reflection.  We just are not prepped for it in our western industrialized society.  Waiting is an uncomfortable nuisance to productivity and accomplishment.  Our cultural thinking demands that we “get things done”, “make things happen”, and “achieve our goal.”   Learning to wait well lets us hear from God and soothes the restlessness of our souls.    

Some have alerted us to the idea.  People like Hudson Taylor who reminded us that, “It is never a waste of time to wait on God.”  Jeremiah and David lend a good bit more oomph to it.  These revelatory writers say things like, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him" and “In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”

While waiting takes time, it is not passive.  Instead it is actively expectant that God is always working – occasionally on center stage and always behind the scenes.  Waiting then is grounded in expectant hopefulness of what will be revealed.   It’s not moving from nothing to something but from something to something more. 

Israel waited to be delivered from Egypt.  Simeon waited to see the Christ.  Abraham waited to receive his promise. The psalmist waited for the Lord God’s answer.  Christians wait for the blessed hope.  We wait for God to reveal what He has set in motion. 

Waiting done well is not wishful selfishness. It is not teeth gritting resolve.  Waiting done well is hopeful expectation.