“Waiting time is not wasted time.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – May 7, 2023
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14
I don’t like to wait. Traffic. Beep Beep! “Come on! Let’s go!” Starbucks lines. “Can you believe there are so many people addicted to coffee—including me!” Waiting isn’t something I like to do because it often seems like wasted time. Maybe you can relate.
Good news! When God has asked you to wait or you’re waiting on Him for guidance or an answer, waiting is never wasted time. Instead, it can be a deeply spiritual time when we pray and wait patiently. And during this time, God is working in secret ways we cannot see to line up the answers and guidance we need.
Years ago, Dr. Charles Stanley told a story in his sermon series, “When God Says to Wait” about a time when he was involved in a traffic accident which resulted in the need for a new car.
[At the accident] I was in the car and God spoke to my heart. He said, Don’t buy a car and I thought, Well, that’s strange. I’m not even thinking about buying a car. But God knew I would be thinking about it.
And so, I waited and waited and waited and I thought, Okay, God. I’m going to do what you say and trust. And then I finally thought, Well, I’ve got to do something.
So, I went to a dealer and I sat in this particular car that I chose and I waited and prayed and talked to God about it. . . I sat in it and fumbled around in it, checking everything out to see how it all worked.
And it was like God said to me, Do you want this or do you want my best?
I said, “Well, God. I want your best.” He said, Well then, don’t buy this car.
So, when the salesman walked up, he asked, “What do you think?”
I said, “Well, you probably won’t understand but I’m not going to buy this car.”
It was a few months later and I was going with a friend of mine to a meeting, and he asked, “When are you going to buy yourself a car?”
I said, “Well, I’ve just been waiting for God to show me.”
He said, “Well, what kind would you buy if you were going to buy one?”
I didn’t even think. I said, “Well, if I had my choice, I’d buy one like this . . .”
Three days later I got a check in the mail to buy that car. It was a whole lot better than the one I was looking at and a whole lot more expensive.
I love this story. It shows how waiting time is not wasted time.
When God told Dr. Stanley to wait, He was lining up the pieces to bless him. Perhaps the Lord was moving in Dr. Stanley’s friend’s heart to be generous when the time was right. Perhaps the Father was supplying the financial need to the man so he could give it to Dr. Stanley. Perhaps He was waiting to see how Dr. Stanley would respond and if He would trust Him. Waiting time is not wasted time. God is always at work.
When we obey God and wait for Him, we will experience the joy of seeing His blessings manifest which we would not have known if we had run ahead of Him. If God is calling you to wait for Him, remember that He wants to be faithful to you. He is always on time. Don’t forfeit your blessing by disobeying and getting ahead of Him.
“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18)!
Prayer
Lord, I will trust you and I will wait for you. No matter what, I will steady myself and do what you say. I’m excited to see your unfolding plan! Amen!
Application
Obey God if He is asking you to wait.
Related Reading
Acts 1:4; Titus 2:13; Romans 8:23
Worship Resource
Lincoln Brewster: While I Wait
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