Do you remember how much of childhood was spent waiting?
Waiting on Christmas, on your birthday, for the storm to pass so you could go swimming, waiting for your turn on the swing (Why did the person in front of us always take so long?)
Kids know about waiting.
I’m not saying kids are good at waiting. I’ve seen plenty of crossed arms, furrowed eyebrows, and impatiently tapping toes. And we can’t forget the glorious meltdowns.
When my kids were younger, I would tell them that waiting is a part of life. Even grownups have to wait. We wait for appointments, we wait in line at the grocery store, we wait for our kids to put on their shoes.
But waiting isn’t easy, is it? And not all waiting is equal.
A child waiting for Christmas knows that the day will eventually come. You will eventually reach the cashier at Walmart, no matter how many coupons the lady in front of you is holding.
But some waiting has no end in sight and no guarantee that the end will be what we want it to be. Our first response may be to nervously chew our fingernails, or eat all the chocolate, or stay really busy. But God offers us a different way. He offers two types of waiting that offer peace.
Waiting Expectantly: Psalm 27:14
The word used in this verse for wait has the idea of waiting expectantly, being alert. Don’t give up. Instead, give God time to act. It also has the idea of being twisted or stretched. This type of waiting means enduring.
This verse also tells us we don’t wait on our own and we don’t endure in our own strength. He shall strengthen your heart. He will cause you to be strong, alert, courageous, bold.
You aren’t waiting alone, and the waiting isn’t without purpose. God is working in you during the waiting to grow courage, purpose, and resolve in you.
He is with you. And in the waiting you will experience His faithfulness.
Restful Waiting: Psalm 62:5
Here the word used for wait is to grow silent, to be still.
It’s not a shut up and deal with it type of being silent. Instead, it means to cease moving, to quiet yourself, to find rest.
How can we do this? Because of where our hope is placed.
The next few verses tell us why it is safe to place our hope in God, the reasons we can rest as we wait. They describe God as a rock, a fortress, a refuge. Because of who He is we can confidently place our trust Him.
In this type of waiting we draw our strength from who God is. We lean toward Him during these times and in this quiet, resting place, He draws near to us.
You are with Him. And in the waiting you will experience His gentleness.
No matter the waiting, we never wait alone.
