This is Part 1 of 5 in a new blog series on waiting.

“The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” Lamentations 3:25 ESV

I often find myself saying to students, “Just wait.” (I mean, “Just wait, please.”) But in truth, I’ve waiting through things myself: through two years of Thyroid-Associated Eye Disease, through a pandemic, through the search for a new job. And now through the search for a house.

I don’t think there’s ever been a time in my life when I haven’t been waiting for something.

The women’s Sunday School class I was part of this past summer studied Lisa Harper’s Bible study on Luke. One of the chapters was titled “Worship in the Wait”. That phrase resonated with me and made me look at waiting in a new way and ask myself two questions:

1. Am I willing to wait?

2. Am I wanting to wait?

Because there’s a difference between willing to do something and wanting to do something. I’m willing to get up and go to work, even when I’m not wanting to get up and go to work. But sometimes my willingness to do something is what keeps me moving toward a goal. . . even if I don’t know what that goal is.

I’ve also found myself (occasionally) wanting to wait for God’s best for me, whether for a new job or a new home. I wanted to wait for the right job, and I want to wait for the right home, especially since I’ve already been waiting through years of changing real estate markets and completing my doctorate.

If it’s God’s will, He’ll show me when my waiting for these particular things is over.

• But I have to be watching
• I have to be ready
• I have to be willing to obey
• I have to actually be obedient
• And did you catch the second half of the introductory verse? I need to seek Him.

But when I consider WHY I should wait, I realize there’s no other option. 

• God told His people to wait for His actions (Exodus 24:12 ESV; Zephaniah 3:8 ESV)
• God acts for me (Isaiah 64:4 ESV)
• God is good to me (Lamentations 3:25 ESV)
• My faith will be strengthened (John 11:1-44 ESV; Luke 24 ESV
• My strength will be renewed (Isaiah 40:31 ESV)

And we see what happened when Saul didn’t wait: 1 Samuel 13:8-15 ESV

So on the days when I’m impatient or discouraged by unanswered prayers, I’ll remember that if I’m willing to wait and wanting to wait, I can worship in the wait.

Check out this song: “Willing to Wait” by Sandi Patty

What are you waiting for this week? How can you be willing and wanting to wait?

“The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” Lamentations 3:25 ESV

Special thanks for my friend Jessica for this week’s picture!