“After waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.” (Hebrews 6:15 NIV)

When you’re waiting on God, remember that you’re in good company.

Millions of saints before you have sat in God’s waiting room. You’re not alone. In fact if you’re in the waiting room right now — maybe you’re waiting on a job, on an answer, or on a prayer — there are a lot of other people around you who are in that same situation.

Hebrews 11:2 says, “People who lived in the past became famous because of faith” (ICB) — and every one of those people had to wait.

Think about Hannah, who had to wait years to have the baby that she was praying God would give her.

Think about Joseph, who had a God-given vision of being a ruler from a very young age but spent 14 years in a prison for a crime he did not commit.

Think of Moses, who wandered in the wilderness for 40 years while he waited for his next assignment and to know his purpose in life.

Think of Abraham, who waited a hundred years before he had Isaac, the child God had promised him years before.

Think about Noah, who waited 120 years before it rained.

God waited thousands of years before sending the Messiah. We get in a hurry. But God is not in a hurry. Waiting is essential to your faith.

Hebrews 6:15 says, “After waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised” (NIV). Think about your life, have you been praying about something for days, weeks or months and the answer seem to evade you? Do you feel or think that God is making you wait? If you find yourself in God’s waiting room you are not alone. Almost everyone you meet that follows and loves God is waiting on Him for something, you are not alone in God’s waiting room. If you find yourself in God’s waiting room, instead of getting depressed, becoming doubtful, complaining, getting in a hurry or trying to hurry God along, why not use this time to work on becoming the best you that you can become as you wait. Is there a course you’ve been thinking of taking? Is there a hobby that you might enjoy?

Is there someone you need to send a letter to? Is there someone that makes you smile or happy that you could spend time with? Could you volunteer to help those that are less fortunate, such as those confined to nursing homes, prisons or hospitals? How might you serve God and honor Him with your waiting time as you wait? Instead of waiting on God with anxiety, why not turn the tables on your wait time and make the very best and highest use of your time as you wait? We’re sure that if you do this, you’ll find a lot more joy along the way and when God sees you doing this, it will certainly make Him smile and bring joy and pleasure to His Heart!

Think about this and ponder your answers;

• How does being in community with other people help you persevere through the waiting periods of life?
• What are some of God’s promises that you can claim while you are waiting?
• Why is waiting essential to your faith?

-Pastor Rick