Why Wait?

 

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

Colossians 3:12

Are you in a season of waiting? Today’s scripture reminds us that there is no need to complain, get in a huff and storm off, become angry, or impatient when we must wait for something or someone—even and especially for God. God has a plan for each of our lives—all of us—and part of His plan is to respond to our very prayer and plea. And He does… in His own special time and way.

We all have times when we have to wait—sometimes it is more challenging than others. But there is no getting around it—it’s a necessary part of life. Wait for people, wait for things, or for a situation or relationship to change. Perhaps you are waiting for medical test results, or for that special person to come into your life. Maybe you are impatiently waiting for that job offer you really want, or the perfect time to move into your new apartment or home.

 

Patience Is a Virtue

Waiting is something we don’t always find easy to do, but it is necessary to have patience in this life—and waiting can build character and helps us grow. It is curious, but the more we have to wait, the more opportunities we have to grow in patience.

Patience is a virtue, and persistence is its first cousin. The 2 just go together like bread and butter. However, without a balanced blend of patience and persistence, we may not ever succeed at whatever we are trying to accomplish or do.

Here are the 4 basic outcomes that occur when we wait:

• We may be happy, perhaps at times even ecstatic about the outcome.
• We may be unhappy with the outcome
• We may wish the outcome was different
• We may regret we waited at all, and feel like we wasted time in doing so.

At times, it takes discernment to know when to wait patiently (or impatiently as is often the case), and when to step beyond waiting to move ahead with our plans–with or without whatever we are waiting for coming to fruition. Most often we wait for a good reason and it seems like no big deal. Just part of our day. Other times, it’s a totally different experience as we grumble and complain that things are taking too long. Then there are those who are waiting for the perfect time, but it never seems to come because perfection is unattainable? At that point I say, take a breath and take the plunge. There may never be a better time than now put aside your excuses and hesitation and step into the plan God has waiting for you!

Waiting for God

There is no equivalent to the kind of waiting we have when we wait for God to answer our heartfelt prayers. When we pray and make our requests known to God, we then must wait for His response. As believing Christians, we do well to embrace and closely follow the guidance, advice, and wisdom found in today’s scripture:

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:12

Waiting for God is an entirely different matter. When we come before God in prayer, we can trust that He is faithful, will answer our prayers, and work all things out for good. For God is ever-present, all-knowing; and His Love is unconditional, and universal—it is for all people. When you realize that He wants the very best for you always, waiting becomes less like a burden and more like an adventure as you begin to wonder: What will God do next in my life?

God loves you so much that He may even have you wait while He is doing His finest work on your behalf. He goes before you and after you mending relationships, paving the way for you, protecting you from bad decisions and harm; comforting you and those you pray for…

Sometimes when we have to wait for God to respond to our pleas, we may begin to doubt He is listening at all or has heard our prayers. We may wonder if He is really present in our lives—or just occasionally; if He really exists. The truth is that when we pray, God responds to our every prayer in a special way that we can understand. Yes, no, not yet or maybe. And it is always for our good. Sometimes we are tested, but never beyond our limits. Yet other times, things seem to simply turn out as we had hoped.

Calming the Stormy Waters

Yes, we have free will. But the basic belief that God is in control of our daily lives has the tremendous power to calm the stormy waters in our hearts and minds. It enables us to take life as it comes with greater confidence with God’s grace. It gives us the quiet knowing that “God’s got this!” With that hope-filled perspective, the idea of waiting for our prayers to be answered is met with anticipation and excitement, as we grow in humility, and patience, deferring to God to work all things out for good.

Are you waiting to pray and ask God for whatever you need? Why wait! God, The Creator of the Universe stands ready to hear your every prayer and act on your behalf. Are you waiting for Him to answer your prayer(s) today? Take heart… your answer is coming. He knows what is on your heart and what you need, but wants you to seek Him with all your heart. Just ask!

May you find peace and comfort in knowing that all is well when you place your life and cares in God’s loving hands!

© Copyright Adele M. Gill

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About the Author

Adele M. Gill is a retired RN, certified Chaplain, freelance writer, award winning author of 6 books, and a recipient of the International Positive Change Podcast Award https://theinspirationcafeblog.net. She is also the founder/author of The Inspiration Café Blog. Adele may be reached via email at: adelemgill@gmail.com.