Becoming a patient person is a real challenge when you’re someone who struggles with waiting. I’ve always had little patience for long lines, people who are late to meetings, or slow drivers in the left lane. It often feels like I’m the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland—”I’m late! I’m late! For a very important date!” The truth is, impatience is something many of us battle. We live in a world that has conditioned us to expect things instantly.

Whether we’re waiting for something exciting to happen in our lives or dealing with delays, waiting can test our patience. We are part of an immediate-gratification culture, where we want everything right now. But here’s the reality: God’s timing is always the best timing. The delay we experience may be divine, as God works behind the scenes, shaping things in ways we can’t yet see, but in His perfect way.

The Struggle with Waiting

Our natural response to waiting can often be frustration, even aggression. We want things to move faster, and sometimes, we push people or situations to hurry up. A perfect example of this in Scripture is Sarah. God had promised her and Abraham a child, yet when the wait felt too long, Sarah took matters into her own hands. Her decision to act outside of God’s timing only complicated her life further.

Waiting requires something more than just pausing or stopping. It asks for stillness and often a slowing down of our own pace. Yet, waiting isn’t passive—it’s active. When we wait, we choose to trust that this pause will yield fruit in the right season. Think of a child eagerly waiting for Easter morning to find a hidden basket of treats. The anticipation is real, and the reward comes at just the right time.

Patience in the Bible: A Call to Trust

The Bible addresses the act of waiting many times because God knows the human tendency to grumble or complain when things don’t happen on our timetable. Yet, when we wait on the Lord, we exercise trust. Waiting strengthens our faith and builds endurance. Scripture encourages us to wait and not grow faint, to run but not grow weary. During times of waiting, God promises to renew our strength.

James 1:3 reminds us that “the testing of our faith produces perseverance.” God often uses the delays in our lives to teach us patience and orchestrate His perfect plan for us—plans we may not yet understand because we don’t see the bigger picture. In those moments of delay, we must choose to trust that God is working on our behalf, even when things feel uncertain.

Waiting with Expectancy

Waiting requires an attitude of expectancy. We wait for things like help, a job offer, and the end of difficult seasons. But ultimately, our expectancy should be in the Lord, trusting Him to work on our behalf as we do what we can. As we wait, we can take comfort in knowing that the One who holds it all is in control. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). His ways are perfect, and we can trust in His timing.

God is Near in the Waiting

In a season of waiting, remember that God is still listening to our cries. He is not distant or uninvolved. Though we may not understand suffering or hardship, we can trust that God is actively at work behind the scenes, orchestrating something far greater than we can see. Trusting in His sovereignty and perfect timing is key. As the Psalmist writes, “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord” (Psalm 31:24).

Even if we can’t see the purpose of the delay right now, we can be assured that God is cheering us on, strengthening our faith, and preparing something good. Just as a builder constructs a strong foundation before putting up a house, God is building our character in the waiting. The delays we face are often the moments when He’s doing the most work in us.

The Reward of Waiting

Waiting is a time to lean into God’s promises and trust that He is working everything for our good. As we wait, let’s remember that we can choose to treat those causing delays with kindness, trusting that God’s timing is perfect. He’s watching over us, guiding us, and keeping us in His care. The wait is not just a time of inactivity; it’s an opportunity to trust more deeply in Him.

So today, let’s choose to wait on the Lord. Let’s renew our strength, trust His timing, and embrace the pauses in life as opportunities to grow. Trust that God is working in your waiting and remember that the reward is always worth the wait. Keep going, keep trusting, and know that God is faithful.