What Are You Waiting For?

Posted On September 19, 2021

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28 NIV

God, What Are You Waiting For?

We know that God is good, and we know that He works all things for our good. But often, this takes time. God accomplishes His purposes in His perfect timing and in His perfect way. Deep down, we know this. But here’s the problem: We usually aren’t privy to the specifics. When we pray for help, His answer may simply be, “Wait. Trust Me.” Or He may not answer at all. We can begin to feel frustrated or abandoned because we think God isn’t listening or He doesn’t care. If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not alone. We’ve all been there. Here’s what C. S. Lewis said about this:

“All may yet be well. This is true. Meanwhile you have the waiting . . . . And while you wait, you still have to go on living — if only one could go underground, hibernate, sleep it out. And then (for me — I believe you are stronger) the horrible by-products of anxiety; the incessant, circular movement of the thoughts, even the Pagan temptation to keep watch for irrational omens. And one prays; but mainly such prayers as are themselves a form of anguish.”

C. S. Lewis, Letters to Malcolm

It can be debilitating, this incessant waiting. We want answers, and we want them now! We don’t understand why God is delaying. We can see what needs to be done. Why doesn’t He just do it? It makes us want to shout to the heavens and demand a response from Him!

“But I am poor and in need. Hurry to me, O God! You are my help and the One Who takes me out of trouble. O Lord, do not wait.”

Psalm 70:5 NLV

Okay, so that movie has nothing to do with crying out to God, but I couldn’t help but think of that clip when I was working on this post. It’s probably a safe bet that most of us have been feeling this way lately. I mean, just when we thought the worst of the pandemic was behind us, we get hit again. Why? What is God doing? Why doesn’t He just make it go away? Well, as I and many others before me have often discovered, we may not get answers to our questions. And part of the Christian journey is learning to be okay with that.

“We are not the cosmic center: God is. He holds the universe, and each of us, in His gravity. When we make ourselves the center of gravity, we attempt to hold God in orbit around us. Then we draw false conclusions. . . . God is the Source of all good and the standard by which good is measured. We may not like what God does, but we’re in no position to accuse Him of wrongdoing. Every breath He gives us is a gift. . . . The God of providence weaves millions of details into our lives and the lives around us. Maybe He doesn’t have one big reason for bringing a certain person, success, failure, disease, or accident into our lives; God may have hundreds of little reasons. In order to understand His explanations, we’d have to be God.”

Randy Alcorn, Seeing the Unseen

“He who demands a reason of God is not in a fit state to receive one.”

Charles Spurgeon

Again, we understand this. We accept this. But, man, it’s hard to live with it sometimes. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like being confused. I don’t like being told to wait. I just want to get on with it! But one of the hard lessons God is teaching me right now is patience. I’ve still got a long way to go. I’m afraid a typical prayer for me on this subject is, God, give me patience, and give it to me right now! So I definitely don’t feel qualified to preach to you in this post. Instead, I’m going to share some of things I have come across in my readings that have helped me. I hope they help you, too!

“One of the most difficult lessons that you will learn is to wait on God. However, it is crucial that you understand how truly important waiting on Him is. . . . God acts on behalf of those who wait on Him. If you want God’s very best for your life, you must trust Him to provide it in His time. His knowledge of you and your situation are absolutely perfect — and so is His timing. He is going to make sure that you are completely prepared for the blessings that He has for you. Therefore, make sure to keep your eyes on Him.”

Charles F. Stanley, 30 Life Principles

“I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

Psalm 16:8 NIV

What Should We Do While We’re Waiting?

“But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.”

Micah 7:7 ESV

One of the lessons I have had to learn is that God often shapes us through hardships. When God promises to do what’s best for us, He doesn’t say it will be easy. God’s main purpose is to make us like Christ. This can be a long, slow, and painful process. If God wants to develop a certain virtue in us, He will have to test us and refine us until it becomes part of our makeup. So if God wants to develop patience in us, our patience will be tested . . . a lot.

“We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us;
we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.“

C. S. Lewis

So what are we supposed to do while we’re waiting? Charles F. Stanley gives us some good advice:

“First, determine to focus on God. Do not center your attention on your need, because that will only sustain and increase your anxiety. This is crucial because, at times, the Father will delay until you get your focus back on Him. He wants you to delight in Him, not just in what He gives you.

Second, release your expectations. You can cling so tightly to a particular outcome that He must wait until you let go of your preferences so He can give you His best. Stop fighting Him and let Him work on your behalf.

Finally, rejoice that while you are waiting, God is working in the unseen. The Lord sees the entire picture and is orchestrating everything in ways you cannot even imagine. So spend time with Him, express your love for Him, and trust Him — because that’s what will ensure your success while you wait.”

Charles F. Stanley, God’s Purpose for Your Life

Focus on God. Release our expectations. Rejoice that God’s got this! It’s still hard to wait, but knowing I’m not just supposed to sit there and do nothing helps. In fact, while I’m waiting on God, God may be waiting on me. He’s waiting to give me the blessings He’s got in store for me, but He can’t do so until I’m ready to receive them. So, rather than viewing the waiting time as a time to do nothing, we can think of it as a time to grow closer to God. It’s a time to develop our faith, increase our trust, and invigorate our worship. While God is working in our situations, He is also working in us. But He won’t get very far if we refuse to cooperate. The delay we’re experiencing may be God’s infinite patience as He waits for us to do our part.

“For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!”

Isaiah 64:4 NLT

What Is It We Really Want?

“So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.”

Isaiah 30:18 NLT

Charles F. Stanley reminds us to release our expectations to God. Sometimes we hold on to something that isn’t God’s best for us. Max Lucado points out that when we’re clinging so tightly to something we think we want, we lose sight of what we already have:

“There are times when the one thing you want is the one thing you never get. . . . You pray and wait. No answer. You pray and wait. May I ask you a very important question? What if God says no? What if the request is delayed or even denied? When God says no to you, how will you respond? If God says, ‘I’ve given you my grace, and that is enough,’ will you be content? Content. That’s the word. A state of heart in which you would be at peace if God gave you nothing more than he already has.”

Max Lucado, Grace for the Moment

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV

On the other hand, maybe what we’re longing for is something God wants to give us. After all, He does put desires in our heart to help us know His will for our lives. Are we supposed to just let go of all of these, too? No, but God wants us to keep them in the proper persepective. We should never let the gift overshadow the gift Giver. God gives us many blessings, but nothing compares to the gift of Himself. Christ came to give us access to the Father. That’s the greatest gift of all!

“We may imagine we want a thousand different things, but God is the One we really long for. His presence brings satisfaction; His absence brings thirst and longing. . . . No matter what we think we’re searching for, God is whom we truly hope to find. Augustine prayed, ‘You have made us for Youself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.’ When we see Him with our resurrected eyes, we will realize that all our lives, as we went down every dead-end street pursuing what we thought we wanted, it was really Him we were longing for.”

Randy Alcorn, Seeing the Unseen

“O God, you are my God, and I long for you. My whole being desires you; like a dry, worn-out, and waterless land, my soul is thirsty for you.”

Psalm 63:1 GNT

What Are We Waiting For?

“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.”

Ephesians 3:20 NLT

So what’s the bottom line? For me, it’s to stay focused on God. Follow His instructions every day, including His command to wait. Trust that He sees the big picture and I do not. Be content with His presence and with everything He’s already given me, but also remember that He has more amazing things in store. During this waiting time, God is preparing me to accept the wonderful blessings He wants to give me. So I need to get busy and do the work He’s calling me to do within myself, trusting Him to strengthen me and guide me along the way.

“During your season of waiting, you may feel somewhat lost, discouraged, and unmotivated. You may also feel as if God has forgotten you. He has not. God is always at work, and at this very moment He is engineering your situation to provide His very best for you. In fact, He is lining up your circumstances in a way that is better than you could ever imagine . . . , and you are going to be completely blessed when you see what He has done for you. However, you must be patient until His plan comes together in His perfect timing. Do not run ahead of God! The delays may be very challenging for you, but they are growing your faith in Him. . . . Therefore, look to Him, strengthen yourself in His Word and love, and remain confident that He is working on your behalf.”

Charles F. Stanley, 30 Life Principles

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Isaiah 40:31 KJV

This week’s Scripture passages encourage us to seek the Lord and wait in hope for Him. They also remind us that while we are calling out to God, asking Him what He’s waiting for, the answer may be that He’s waiting on us. So let’s focus on Him and respond to His leading. Let’s let Him prepare us for the wonders He has in store!

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Psalm 27:14 NIV

References:

• Alcorn, Randy. Seeing the Unseen, Expanded Edition: A 90-Day Devotional to Set Your Mind on Eternity. Multnomah, 2017.
• “I Know What You Did Last Summer — What Are You Waiting For Huh? 1997 HD.” YouTube, uploaded by Arnie Grape, 31 August 2018, https://youtu.be/DVbdF9AGBWg.
• Lewis, C. S. How to Pray: Reflections & Essays. Harper One, 2018.
• Lucado, Max. Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. J. Countryman, 2000.
• Stanley, Charles F. God’s Purpose for Your Life: 365 Devotions. Thomas Nelson, 2020.
• Stanley, Charles F. 30 Life Principles Study Guide: A Study for Growing in Knowledge and Understanding of God. Thomas Nelson, 2008.

Images:

• Heavenly Clock featured image by Stefan Keller from Pixabay
• Infinite Clock image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay
• Old Clock image by Monoar Rahman Rony from Pixabay
• Hourglass image by xaviandrew from Pixabay
• Astronomical Clock image by Tomasz Mikołajczyk from Pixabay
• Space Fantasy Clock image by Orlandow from Pixabay