Waiting on God: Our Great Challenge
Once we have come to know Christ, our entire life begins to be guided by Him—and that includes even our timing. The Bible says in Lamentations 3:25-26: “The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.”
How hard it is to wait! What patience we must have, beloved! How difficult it is to understand these words: “The LORD is good unto them that wait for him…” One of the most common ways God uses to shape our character and purify us, as stated in Isaiah 1:25, is through waiting: “And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin.”
Waiting: A Reason to Doubt?
First of all, God always speaks to us and gives us hope for a better future. This can involve a calling in His work or a personal goal, all for our edification. In moments of anguish, we lift up our prayers to God, but does the Lord hear us? His Word says:
Psalm 34:15 “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.”
God, in His eternal mercy, is always attentive to hear our cry, despite our failures. Sometimes we pray with groanings, in desperation, and no words even come out of our mouths. But as Romans 8:26 says: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
So, what happens if God doesn’t answer immediately? Do we have the patience to wait for Him until the answer comes? Or do we let doubt creep in and make us think that God is not with us?
Waiting: A Time to Learn
Story: “The Bamboo and the Oak Tree”
There was once a man who, tired of waiting for answers to his prayers, went out to the garden and complained to God:
“Lord, why do you make me wait so long? Why don’t you respond already?”
God took him to a forest and showed him two trees: a mighty oak and a bamboo.
“Look at the oak,” said God. “It took many years to grow, but now it is strong and firm.”
Then He pointed to the bamboo.
“This bamboo spent seven years without growing even an inch. No one saw anything, but during that time, its roots were growing deep underground. In the seventh year, in just six weeks, it grew over 60 feet. If it had been forced before its time, it would have broken easily.”
Then God looked at the man and said:
“You are not waiting in vain. I am strengthening your roots. Growth will come. Trust in Me. My timing is perfect.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
In waiting, God works in many areas of our lives where we believe we are strong, self-sufficient, and ready for the battle. But in that waiting, God reveals to us that we are not. He deals with our weaknesses, touches sensitive areas, and makes us reflect, even though we may not understand why we go through certain trials.
Only God knows the depths of our hearts and the future purposes He has for us. There is always something He wants to teach us.
Waiting: Being Willing
To receive God’s answer, we must first go through a process of formation, just as God showed Jeremiah with the potter:
Jeremiah 18:4 “And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.”
The formation of a vessel in biblical times was not instantaneous. First, the potter had to prepare the clay, which could take one or two days. Then came the shaping on the wheel, which, although it took less than an hour, required skill. Afterward, the piece had to dry for several days before being fired in the oven for several hours.
In total, the process could take anywhere from three to seven days.
This teaches us that formation takes time, patience, and steady work. God works the same way with us: He molds us, dries us, and tests us by fire until we are useful in His hands. Waiting is always good—always—because it means that God is preparing something far better.
Pastor Emilio Pereira