Barbra Gentry-Pugh

The Blessing in the Waiting

January 26, 2025

“But those who wait on 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.” Isaiah 40:31

“Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” Psalm 27:14

”I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.” Psalm 40:1

Would you agree that waiting, at any level, is difficult? For many of us living in Michigan, the past several years have tested our patience, especially when navigating major freeway construction. Travelers have had to adjust their schedules and routes, adding unexpected delays to their daily lives. Combined with the everyday routines of waiting in grocery store lines or sitting in the doctor’s office, waiting often feels like an ongoing test of patience, and, if we’re honest, a source of inward frustration. Waiting has a way of stirring anxiety, dissatisfaction, and even doubt.

In today’s world, where information and solutions are available at our fingertips, we’ve become conditioned to expect instant gratification. With just a few taps, we can access centuries of knowledge in seconds, order meals delivered to our door, and connect with people across the globe. The convenience of microwaves, emails, and smartphones has reshaped our expectations, made delays and waiting feel inconvenient or even intolerable. It’s no surprise, then, that we often struggle when life calls us to slow down or wait for something beyond our control.

Recently, I was looking at flight times from DTW to a destination halfway around the world, and it left me in awe. Modern transportation has made it possible to travel vast distances in just a matter of hours. In today’s fast-paced society, waiting often feels like a burden. Surrounded by instant solutions and immediate results, we find ourselves asking, “Why wait when we can have it now?”

For many of us, waiting feels like an unwelcome interruption. It’s uncomfortable, frustrating, and a true test of patience. It can even lead us to question, “Why isn’t God moving?” But what if waiting is more than just the passage of time? What if it’s a season designed to teach us, to shape us, and to help us discover purpose and peace in the process?

Believe it or not, there is power in waiting; true waiting is more than just standing still. It is about trusting the process and aligning with God’s timing, even when life feels uncertain. It’s about believing that good things take time and that what’s ahead may be better than anything we could rush into. It is about waiting and believing in God’s inspired Word and what the Psalmist penned in Psalm 84:11, “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” (NASB) Instead of seeing waiting as a roadblock, reframe it as an opportunity. A chance to reflect, to prepare, and to trust that the right outcomes will come at the right time. Waiting, when done with confidence and intention, can become a gift, a time to pause, reset, and realign our priorities. When we adopt waiting, we open the door to unexpected blessings and find endurance we never knew we had. There’s strength in patience, courage in stillness, and growth in the WAITING.

Have you ever experienced a time in your life when you waited and discovered in your waiting it was not just a delay but an opportunity for something richer and deeper? There was a time in my life when I was desperately waiting for God to move in my life. I prayed and prayed and wondered if God was listening. If I am honest waiting felt like punishment. I couldn’t understand why He wasn’t responding. Yes, I understand His sovereignty, and I know there are times God’s response is NO! However, in hindsight, I could see that God wasn’t ignoring me. He was shaping and molding me. Yes, I will admit the waiting was uncomfortable, it is not only a test of my patience but a period of preparation!

LESSIONS LEARNED IN WAITING. There is a Blessing in Waiting! Surrendering to God’s timeline is when transformation takes place, not only in the circumstances of life but within our hearts. Waiting is often perceived as passive, but it is an active process, one filled with purpose, growth, and, ultimately, blessings. It’s in the waiting that God does some of His most profound work in our lives.

Waiting on God Creates a Deeper Dependence on God. The waiting period teaches us to stop striving to control every detail of our lives and to lean entirely on God. Trusting Him requires us to release our limited perspective and embrace His infinite wisdom. It’s in the waiting that we come to understand the depth of Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” When we stopped trying to force solutions and instead TRUST God and place our timeline into His hands. In doing so we can find peace – I use to love to hear a preacher say in closing his prayers “a peace that the world don’t understand.”

In my wait, I realized I wasn’t just waiting for an answer; I was learning to trust the One who holds all answers. The result was a closer, more intimate relationship with God as I depended on Him for strength, clarity, and direction of what was going on.

Waiting On God Refines Our Character. Waiting often acts as a mirror, revealing parts of our hearts that need transformation. It exposes our impatience and pride, qualities that hinder our ability to be fully aligned with God’s plan. One thing I learned in waiting, as I wrestled with my thoughts and frustrations, I came to see the waiting as being in God’s workshop. In God workshop, I learned more patience, humility, and perseverance. Qualities that you cannot go and purchase or you just decide to have. I learned these are not just qualities we can “decide” to have; they are formed in the workshop and fire of waiting. Each delay became an opportunity to let go of self-centered thinking and hold to a God-centered mindset. Waiting stretched my faith and deepened my reliance on His timing, which is always perfect.

Inconceivable Blessings. In waiting, there are blessings that far exceeded anything I could have dreamed of or planned for myself. God’s delay wasn’t a denial, it was preparation. God was working behind the scenes in ways I couldn’t see, aligning details, relationships, and opportunities for my good. In Ephesians 3:20, The Apostle Paul penned an inspired Word, “God is able to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” I experienced this truth firsthand. What I had envisioned for my life paled in comparison to the blessings God had in store. The waiting wasn’t just about the destination, it was about the transformation I underwent during the journey.

The apostle Paul encourages us in Philippians 4:6-7. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (NLT) As Believers in Christ we are never to be anxious which suggests a lack of faith, and that grieves the Lord.

HEART CHALLENGE: Waiting is rarely easy, but it is always purposeful. If you’re in a season of waiting, I encourage you to shift your perspective. Instead of seeing it as a waste of time, view it as a season of preparation, growth, and trust. Ask yourself:

What is God teaching me in this season?

What areas of my character is He refining?

How can I deepen my dependence on Him today?

Waiting on God should not cause the believer to doubt or to worry.

A PATIENCE HEART: A patient heart is a heart that waits on God who will deliver us in due time, in this world or in the world to come. God is never in a hurry, but He’s always on time. Keep your focus on eternity!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for Your authoritative, inerrant, and inspired Word that reminds us that waiting on You is worth the wait. Help us to remember that You are never idle in our waiting, and we are always on Your mind. In our waiting, teach us to trust Your timing and Your plan. Renew our strength as we seek You and help us to see the blessings in this season of preparation. Father in our waiting keep us near the cross, in the Precious, Powerful, and Preeminent name of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, Amen.