Waiting on God: Understanding His Timing and Promises

The Bible teaches us that God’s timing is different from our own. While we often measure time in minutes and hours, God measures it in years and even millennia. This can be frustrating for us because we want things to happen quickly, but God is patient in fulfilling his promises. In fact, Peter tells us that the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some people think, but he is patiently working out his redemptive purposes (2 Peter 3:9).

One of the most famous examples of God's slow pace is seen in the story of Abraham and Sarah. When God first promised Abram (as he was then called) that he would become a great nation and that his offspring would inherit the land of the Canaanites, Abram was already 75 years old. However, there was a problem - Abram and his wife Sarai were childless. Sarai was barren, and they had no hope of having a child on their own.

Years went by, and still, there was no sign of a child. In their desperation, Sarai came up with a plan for Abram to have a child with her maidservant, Hagar. This seemed like a reasonable solution to them, but it was not God's plan. Thirteen more years passed before God finally told Abram, now renamed Abraham, that Sarai, now named Sarah, would bear a son. And true to God's promise, Sarah gave birth to Isaac when she was 90 years old.

Abraham and Sarah had to wait for 25 long years for the fulfillment of God's promise. It was a period of doubt, confusion, and pain. They must have questioned why God was taking so long and whether he had forgotten them. But through it all, Abraham remained steadfast in his faith, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised (Romans 4:20–21).

The story of Abraham and Sarah teaches us that waiting for God is not easy. It can be painful and confusing. We may feel like God has forgotten us or that he is hiding his face from us. But the Bible reminds us that we are not alone in our waiting. The psalms, in particular, give us permission to ask God, "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?" (Psalm 13:1).

These psalms of lament and longing show us that God understands our impatience and our feelings of abandonment. He is compassionate towards us in our waiting. He knows that his timing can feel slow to us, and he gives us permission to express our frustration and confusion to him.

But as we pray or sing these psalms, we are also reminded that God has not forgotten us. He is working out his purposes in our lives, even when we cannot see it. He is cultivating faith in us, just as he did in Abraham and Sarah. He is teaching us to trust in his promises, even when they seem impossible.

God's chosen pace and place for us are redemptive. He has a greater plan and purpose in our waiting than we can imagine. Even though it may feel like we are stuck in a bewildering and painful place, God is working for our good. He promises to act on behalf of those who wait for him (Isaiah 64:4).

In our waiting, God also promises to renew our strength. He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of those who have no might. Even the young will grow weary and exhausted, but those who wait for the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:29–31).

Just as Abraham and Sarah experienced renewal and the fulfillment of God's promise, so too will we. God is working in our waiting to strengthen our faith and to bring about his purposes in our lives. So let us take courage and be strong as we wait for the Lord. He is able to do what he has promised.

In conclusion, waiting for God is not easy. It can be painful and confusing. We may feel like God has forgotten us or that he is hiding his face from us. But the Bible assures us that God is not slow in fulfilling his promises. He is patient and compassionate towards us as we wait for him. He is working out his redemptive purposes in the best possible way. Just as Abraham and Sarah had to wait for 25 years for the fulfillment of God's promise, so too may we have to wait for what seems like a long time. But in our waiting, God is cultivating faith in us and renewing our strength. He is teaching us to trust in his promises and to rely on his timing. So let us take heart and be encouraged as we wait for the Lord. He is faithful and will fulfill his promises in his perfect timing.