What is the purpose for waiting? (Part 1)

I’ve come to the conclusion that there is always a purpose for a time of waiting.  It doesn’t matter what we’re waiting for, whether a job, a spouse, an answer to prayer, or deliverance from a situation, God always has a purpose for making us wait.

The bible (ESV) mentions the word ‘wait’ over 130 times.  The writer of the psalms often writes about waiting on the Lord.  He expresses his frustration with whatever he is waiting for in Psalm 130:

“Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!”

He goes on to write:

“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.”

What an encouragement this Psalm is to me.  The author is obviously facing something difficult, and is pleading with God to help him.  He seems unsure whether God will help him.  But he ends his Psalm with such confidence that as he waits for God’s guidance and help, he has can look to the future with hope.  He doesn’t know what is coming (none of us do), but he can look to God, and say to himself, “Whatever God has planned will be good.”.  He has God at his side, and he has found God’s love to be steadfast, constant, unfailing.  God also brings him hope of redemption.  Whatever is broken, he can surely fix. Whatever is lacking, he can supply.

I think that as we seek God in times of waiting, we will begin to see these things.  We will have a clearer picture of God’s provision, of the way he works in us, and of his awesome love.