Lessons in Waiting

“But I want it now!” I heard my son screaming from the other room. Asking him to wait until his brother was finished playing with the toy he wanted was proving to be more difficult than either of us had realized. I set a timer for the boys and when it rang it was time to give the other a turn – but five minutes seems like eternity when you’re 4 years old.

As a parent I recognize that five minutes isn’t really that long, but I understood my son’s frustration. I don’t like waiting much, myself, and our current state of life sometimes makes me feel like a 4 year old having to wait his turn. Many of us are looking forward to the day when we can grocery shop without a mask or when our kids can freely play on a playground. We long for the day we can, once again, give hugs to friends and family or not worry about when the next paycheck may arrive. 

I’ve been working through the Bible chronologically since the beginning of the year, and the theme that has been sticking with me (even before we were asked to stay at home) is this theme of waiting. Some of the stories that have touched me have included Noah, Abraham, the Israelites wandering in the dessert and, most recently, King David.

In each of these historical moments we see the main subject(s) being asked to wait for something: Noah and his family were asked to board an ark and remain inside (with a lot of animals!) while the entire earth was flooded with rain (Genesis 6-11). They had no idea how long they would remain inside or what life would look like on the other side. Abraham was told that God would make him a great nation– yet, he and his wife (in their old age) had never been able to conceive (Genesis 12-25). Knowing God had made him this promise, he had no idea how long they should expect to wait for their child to be born. Even as the Israelites left behind a horrendous life in Egypt, they really did not know what their journey through the dessert to the Promised Land would look like (the book of Exodus) or how long they would wander. And, while the shepherd boy David had been anointed king of Israel – he spent part of the next decade running for his life, hiding in caves and relying on his trust in God’s promise until he finally found himself on the throne (1 Samuel 16-31).

It’s easy to compare parts of our life or circumstances with that of our biblical ancestors, and while there is certainly nothing wrong with making those comparisons and finding comfort in their stories, that isn’t the point of this post; in fact, I would argue, that isn’t the point of those stories. As much as there is to learn about ourselves from these men and women, it’s most important to learn who God is. The life experiences of Noah, Abraham, the Israelites and King David tell us of a God who is faithful, a God that keeps His promises, a God who cares deeply, judges justly and is unchangeable. These are the things we should focus our attention on in any season of waiting. 

If you are anything like me, you often find yourself opening your Bible (especially during difficult times) and asking God to do something for you. We are looking for God to comfort us in our trial; to tell us what to do or give us a glimpse that everything will work out. We give God a brief 15 or 30 minutes of our day and then, sometimes impatiently, look for God to send us a passage or portion of scripture that can bring an immediate sense of peace or calm. But is that really what our time with God should look like?

In her book, Stop Calling Me Beautiful (Finding Soul-Deep Strength in a Skin-Deep World), Phylicia Masonheimer writes, “Time with God in the twenty-first century is primarily focused on learning what God wants for us. We read the Word to learn how to apply it….to us. We pray to ask God more about ourselves. We listen to hear God’s message for us. The morning watch is no longer a part of a bigger story. Devotional time has become more focused on personal fulfillment and less on eternal significance.” And then, “our time spent with God should be focused on learning more about Him, and in doing so, we will learn how to view ourselves.”

While the Bible absolutely offers us ways to apply God’s message to our lives, the primary reason for the Bible is to lead us to a deeper understanding of who God is and what he has done; how each and every page weaves into the bigger picture of the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which provides eternal salvation to those who believe. When we refocus our attention to God, rather than ourselves, we begin to see the Bible differently. In her chapter, Why the Instagram Bible Won’t Free You, Masonheimer states, “Spiritual depth and maturity never happen by accident. They are always the product of intentional exposure to the heart and Spirit of God.” (emphasis added)

Lately I’ve been approaching my time in the Word differently. Rather than asking God to do something for me, I pray that I would learn more about the characteristics of God - that more of his nature would be revealed. I pray that my time with him would be an act of worship, and that as I learn more about who he is, I can then take that knowledge and apply it to my life and the work I’m called to do for his kingdom. This change has led to a deeper desire to read my Bible - not just to read the words, but to really learn the story.

I fully understand that each of us is walking a different path in this season of wait and I’m so grateful for a God who can be trusted with these moments. We have a God who meets us where we are and can offer eternal hope and encouragement in even the most difficult of trials.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

In this uncertain time of waiting, we can be certain that the God that was with Noah, Abraham, the Israelites and David is the exact same God who has been with mankind throughout every trial and tribulation it has ever faced. God is in the small moments, like my son waiting his turn for a toy and he’s with us in whatever we are facing now. He’s still all of the things we know him to be and all of the things we’ve yet to discover. Malachi 3:6 reminds us, “I the Lord do not change.” If any of us find ourselves feeling more and more impatient, let us return to the God of the universe and ask Him to reveal Himself to us in new ways. 

Father God, I pray that you would open my eyes to who you are. Open my heart and mind to receive you in ways I haven’t received you before. May my time with you be an act of worship, allowing me to praise your sovereignty and faithfulness throughout time. In the sweet name of Jesus I pray, Amen.