Waiting Time Is Not Wasted Time

I have been waiting for a long season. Waiting day in and day out. Waiting weeks on end. Waiting month after month. Even waiting year after year. Prayers have been offered. Thousands of hours of prayers. Still waiting. Scriptures read, studied, and meditated upon. Still waiting. Seeking but not finding. Asking but not receiving. Knocking but doors not opening.

Some days I have taken it all in stride. I contented myself in the Lord. Like Paul wrote, "I learned to be content in all circumstances." But there have been other days. Very dark days when the light of hope faded into dismal darkness over my mind and heart. These days were tough. When I got to the point when I thought I could not possibly wait another day God showed me I could. He sustained me and worked in me. Before I knew it those impatient days turned into years of more waiting.

At times I wondered what God had on His mind. I doubted at times. I questioned what I had to do to to secure the long desired change and answer. Looking back I can see God stretching my faith, growing and maturing me along the way. I am not patient by nature and yet God desires the fruit of patience in the life of His children. I see how He has worked to produce that fruit in my life more now than ever. It is not something I would have chosen for myself.

Yet, to be a faithful servant to Him we all need to learn to wait. We learn lessons about perseverance in times of waiting. We learn to trust Him more. We have the opportunity to serve faithfully where we are and in whatever we have before us to do at the time. We also have the opportunity to learn contentment in the Lord and draw closer to Him.

Waiting time is not wasted time. It does not feel that way. It often feels like Jehovah has abandoned us when we have to wait. Especially if that means waiting for a long time. It may look like He is not doing anything but the truth is He uses times of waiting in all the ways I listed above.

We may not want to hear it but the truth is God's word is filled with passages admonishing us to wait on the Lord. Noah waited for over a century for the rain to come while constructing the ark. Abraham waited for Isaac for a couple of decades. Joseph waited in prison for two full years before getting promoted. The nation of Israel waited four long centuries enslaved in Egypt before getting their freedom.

Waiting is a primary classroom God uses to teach and shape His children. It really comes down to this. Does Jehovah know what He is doing? Is He really in control? Is He still right on time no matter how long the delay? YES to all the above. So it comes down to trust. Do I trust Him? Do you trust Him? Even if we have to keep waiting? [Ps 27:14] One day the waiting will come to an end. Let us take courage until then.