Waiting Well

At this moment, I am waiting on two packages, an editor to respond, photos from an interviewee for an article, and an email about an upcoming trip. I am anxiously waiting to host my first Sassy Sister lunch party I am calling a Shamrock Shindig. I even put together a St. Patrick’s Day crossword puzzle for us. I can’t wait to hear everyone’s response. I, along with many others, am waiting for Daylight Saving Time. I’m ready for longer days. Of course, we have all waited for more important things — maybe a lab test or biopsy result, the arrival of a little one, a surgical outcome, closing on a house, or a much-anticipated vacation.

The idea of waiting gets a bad rap. Negative vibes tend to leap forth when waiting is involved. Our society has gotten worse when it comes to waiting. We go out of our way to avoid it. Microwaves, online orders, internet news, smart watches, curbside pickups. We gotta have it now, now, now!  

Types of Waiting

The Bible mentions three types of waiting. The first I will call “wait, snatch, and go.” This involves waiting with evil intentions as a thief waits on an unsuspecting victim. The second is a subservient type, like a servant waiting on his master. Everything focuses on the master. The third type is waiting on God. Waiting on the Lord yields rewards in His time. However, we can still learn from the other two waiting types.

The Bible has numerous verses that encourage patience and trust in God’s timing during periods of waiting. “But those who wait on 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 faint.” (Isaiah 40:31). Psalm 27:14 encourages us to be steadfast and courageous during our waiting period. Other verses refer to God’s perfect timing, His goodness, and our steadfastness, courage, and patience.

While some may consider waiting to be a waste of time, it is actually the opposite. It can be a time of growth and preparation. Waiting is active, not passive. Faith can deepen, spirituality may develop, and reliance on God can be enhanced during times of waiting.

A Personal Perspective

In middle school, I heard my favorite teacher tell someone that I was not patient. This stunned me. Sure, I was eager and ambitious, but I didn’t realize my impatience was so obvious. I resolved to try to improve that flaw in me. I don’t know how well I did, but I distinctly recall a turning point in my career.

Moving from a high-paced laboratory as a Hematology Supervisor into a quiet office environment as a Quality Assurance Manager, I depended on others to help me accomplish my tasks. Email responses could take days from busy doctors; audit schedules required adjustments; and patient charts were sometimes unavailable. I was forced to wait time and time again. Funny how I got better at it the more I did it. The forced behavior helped strengthen my character.

3 Steps to Waiting Well   

Referring to an article in The Alabama Baptist newspaper on March 6, 2025, Pastor Mark Bethea of Montgomery offers three steps for waiting well. First, we must wait in full submission to the will, the way, and the Word of God. When Bethea asked what the Lord was teaching to groups of all ages, the answer was often one word: patience.

Second, waiting well involves community. The church fulfills that step. Bethea says, “It [the church] protects against out-of-control weariness in waiting.” The local church encourages and reminds us of the scriptural truth to fix our eyes upon the Lord while waiting on Him to move.

Third, waiting well is not an excuse for inactivity. Just because we are waiting, we should still remain active in the world.

Bethea used William Carey as an example. He was a missions trailblazer in India in the late 1700s. Carey did not see a single convert for years. Still, he labored, believing God was at work despite translation issues, language barriers, and governmental persecution. Finally, after seven years, Carey baptized his first Hindu convert. This was a matter of eternal significance.

How Do We Wait Well?

What happens when we give up too early? In Carey’s case, souls would be doomed to damnation. To wait well, we set our hearts on the Lord by reading and studying His Word daily, submitting to His will, and following His guidance.

Bethea concluded with the best advice he had been given regarding waiting: “Take the next right step of obedience that God brings you to, whatever it looks like. Every day, and in every way, choose to take the next right step of obedience. Even when the details are not delightful, still delight in the Lord.”

Sounds like a good plan.