Waiting on God

It’s been said that God answers every prayer. Sometimes he says yes; sometimes he says no; and sometimes he says not yet. It’s that last one that is by far the most difficult to cope with for most of us.

A yes is easy to appreciate. We pray for a family member to recover from an illness, for a friend to secure employment, or maybe even a passing grade on a test. Then we receive our answer. The recovery is complete, a job is secured, and there’s a bright, shiny B+ on test day. Prayers are answered and we are thankful beyond words. Our relationship with God soars.

A no is by far more difficult. The death of a loved one, the loss of a job, failing a test – either in school or in the far more challenging real life world – these noes are painful. Sometimes they sting, sometimes they burn, sometimes they ache for days, weeks, or even decades. Yet if our faith is mature, we can handle a no. God can use a no to bring us closer to Him, to make us rely on Him more fully and to deepen our faith.

The answer that human nature can’t easily deal with is a not yet. Because unless you have a direct line to God’s cell, it can sometimes seem impossible to tell the difference between a not yet and a flat-out no. Whether you are a young person waiting to meet the love of your life, a primary breadwinner longing for the job your family needs, or a relative hoping for a person close to you to recover from a lingering illness or an addiction, the long and painful journey can take more of a toll - emotionally, spiritually, and even physically - than an abrupt no.

There are many reasons why God has us wait. In fact, He often uses periods of waiting to transform us. Waiting builds patience and trust. The Bible is filled with stories of waiting. Abraham had to wait until he was 100 to receive his promised heir. The Israelites wandered for 40 years in the desert before entering the Promised Land. Simeon waited nearly his entire life before seeing the Messiah. Jacob worked for 14 years for Rachel’s hand.

There are myriad comforting scriptures about waiting, such as Isaiah 40:31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

But what can and should we DO while waiting? First and foremost, we have to trust that God will answer our prayer at the time that is best for us or the person about whom we are praying and continue to pray without ceasing for God’s will – not ours – to be done. We also can learn to recognize and appreciate the many blessings in our lives instead of focusing on what we don’t yet have. We can also do what we can to bring about a solution to our dilemma. (While obviously there are some things completely out of our control – such as an illness – some of the things we are waiting on can be impacted by our behavior, such as getting training to get a better job, seeking out tutoring to get through a challenging class, or improving our own outlook on a challenging relationship. It might just be that these actions – and this growth - are what God is waiting for to give us His answer.

In the end, just like a child who is anxiously anticipating Christmas morning, waiting makes receiving what we want all the sweeter.