Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalm 27:14

Probably one of the hardest things for us to hear or be told to do is, “You’ll have to wait!” In a world full of instant everything—instant coffee, instant breakfast, instant pudding, microwaves, and drive-throughs—it’s no wonder we have trouble being told to wait.

I have worked as a nurse in a clinical environment and in church ministry for over 45 years. I have been blessed to see many wonderful moves of God—miracles, people coming to Christ, healings—but also the hurt, pain, and brokenness of this world. Although I have seen many lives touched both physically and spiritually, most have come through the process of waiting.

The Classroom of Time

Many of the greatest lessons we learn happen in The Waiting Room. This is the place between “Help me, Jesus” and “Thank You, Lord.” The waiting rooms of life can be the place where we’re to stop wrestling with God and rest in His plan. Even though the wait can be a place of frustration, it can also become a place where the Lord can grow us, strengthen us, and draw us nearer to Him. While we are waiting, the Lord is working—not just on our situation, but on us.Waiting isn’t stopping; it’s staying where God has placed you or continuing in obedience until He gives further instructions

Through the course of our lives, God will often assign us a task without showing us the finished product. We see only a part, and that is where faith grows. Noah was assigned the job of building the ark. Instructions for size and materials were given, but from what we understand, no one had ever built a boat of this size before, nor been assigned a task like the one God gave Noah. Years went by, and while Noah waited on the rain, he continued working for the Lord–building, preaching, and trusting in God’s promise. 

The Reward of Patience

God has promised those of us who believe in Him through His Son, Jesus, that one day we will be with Him forever. In that place, there will be no more pain, no sorrow, no tears, and no death. While we wait—whether for His return or for our time to depart—we continue, like Noah, to faithfully build and serve in Kingdom work. We keep preaching, teaching, and sharing the Gospel. And through it all, we keep watching, waiting, believing, and trusting in Him. So if you find yourself in a season of waiting, take heart—God is still working. Keep building, keep believing, and trust that His promises will come to pass.