Worth the Wait

“I love waiting” … said No One Ever!

It’s the truth – we’re impatient people – we despise delays. Given the choice – we vote for NOW rather than later. We oppose any interruption to our plans; we go to great lengths to avoid the pain of unfulfilled desires.

Are you in a painful season of waiting? Are you struggling with weariness and impatience – wondering how much more time will pass before you see an answer to your prayers? Are you, like me, feeling confused about the long delays and detours God has written into your story?

Abraham knew all about the heartache and doubts that can accompany times of long delay. He was 75 years old when God promised to make him into a great nation. “Look up at the heavens and count the stars – if indeed you can count them … So shall your offspring be.” (Genesis 15:5)

Can you imagine the delight Abraham and Sarah experienced as they celebrated the fact that they would have a son?!

But the years passed … 5 years … 10 years … 15 years … 20 years and still the pregnancy tests kept coming back negative. Can you imagine the heartache of that long wait – the confusion, the questions, the doubt, the many times they had to wrestle their faith to the ground. Had they misunderstood God? Did they not trust Him enough? Had God given up on them?

But the Bible clearly states that Abraham believed the Lord.

We all know how the story turns out – although their bodies were “as good as dead” – Isaac, the fulfillment of God’s promise, was born! I love to imagine the party these elderly parents threw as they held in their arms the long-awaited answer to their most heartfelt prayers.

In my waiting seasons, the following verse never fails to ignite my heart with hope:

“And so after waiting patiently,

Abraham received what was promised.”

(Hebrews 6:15)

Here we find powerful, foundational truths:

• Our long waits do not diminish the power and certainty of God’s promised provision!
• God always keeps His Word and He is always right on time!

How do we endure long waits? How do we walk through delays in a way that pleases God?

We do exactly what Abraham did. We believe the Lord.

• We embrace the truth that our Almighty God remains on his throne, fully Sovereign, Reigning Supreme.
• We stand unswervingly on His promises – refusing to view His word through our limited vision and man-made timetable.
• We surrender to His perfect timing – confident that not one second of our long wait has been wasted.

Lord, I don’t understand why you’re making me wait – but I stand confidently in the truth that there is goodness to be found here. I surrender each delay and interruption into your sovereign hands. When my time on earth has been completed – I know that I will gaze into your eyes and soundly declare that You, Jesus, were well worth the wait.