But those who hope in 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 40:31

---

The text message from Comcast was lengthy, which already stressed me out. Our internet would be cut off that morning for a few hours for some “unforeseen” repairs that needed to be done in the area. No heads-up, no warning a few days in advance. My husband and I both work from home, so this wasn’t ideal. I let my supervisor know what was going on, saying I would get back on as soon as I could. There was nothing to do but wait. The few hours felt like days. The waiting felt unnecessary and pointless. Eventually, the internet turned back on, and work resumed. 

We live in a day and age where waiting is seen as a nuisance, an inconvenience meant to waste our time. In the instant-gratification, fast-paced, technology-obsessed world we live in, we can no longer handle waiting in large doses. But God had a different purpose in mind altogether for waiting. He must have known what an impatient bunch we humans would turn out to be. Hence, only through the patient act of waiting can He work in us to strengthen us where we need strengthening. 

Whether we are waiting on God for a miracle, an answer to prayer, or guidance on a difficult decision we need to make, He has encased our waiting with deep intention meant to grow us. No part of it is wasted; it is all necessary for our Christian walk as we learn to live in the Spirit. We may do the waiting, but God does the molding. Hour by hour, day by day, He takes the time we spend waiting expectantly and forms it into a nesting ground that spurs us to depend on Him. Slowly, we begin to see the waiting not as an emptiness devoid of hope, but as a well that is filled with God’s presence, eager to give us hope in large doses.

Next Steps   

• Next time you find yourself waiting—in checkout lanes at the grocery store, on the phone with customer service, in traffic—reframe that seemingly wasted time as a practice in waiting on God. Redirect your focus back on Him.
• Read Romans 5:3-5 and reflect on the ways that God uses your seasons of waiting to produce in you perseverance and to shape your character.