Waiting is part of life. Most often we don’t like it but we have to deal with it. But what is the purpose of waiting? I’ve started to think the purpose of waiting is to prepare us. And the longer we refuse to be prepared, the longer the waiting period will be. Because we can’t enter into a new phase of life until we’re ready.

Okay, you say. How can we get ready for the unknown future? True, we don’t know what the future will hold but we know the one who holds the future. Hence we get ready by waiting on the Lord. By submitting ourselves to God without reservations. When we learn to hold nothing back when it comes to surrendering to Jesus, we are truly getting ready for the unknown future.

For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:24-25, NRSV,*)

The purpose of waiting

While we are waiting, it is wise to check there is nothing that would hold us back when the waiting will finally be over. So the purpose of waiting is to make sure we don’t have any conflicts with the will of God when it will be made known to us. Are you ready to follow God’s leading no matter where it leads you?

Just knowing that there is a purpose for all our waiting, makes it easier to wait, doesn’t it? The best use of our waiting time is to spend it with Jesus. He will guide our waiting so we can be ready for the new in God’s time.

So let’s quit whining and using our time unwisely. The purpose of waiting is to prepare our hearts and minds for God’s plans for our future. So let’s let Jesus work in and through us. Then we will truly be ready and willing when the time is right.

Gracious God,
Forgive us for whining.
Help us to live every day as your gift.
We surrender to you our everything,
prepare us for the future you’re planned for us.
Help us to become who you’re created us to be.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: How do you deal with waiting?

Blessings to you, my dear fellow pilgrim, as you embrace the purpose of waiting!

* [As you might have noticed, I enjoy reading the Bible in different translations and love comparing them. I have started linking the Bible verses to Biblegateway.com so you can easily read (and compare) them in the different versions I’ve used while preparing each post.]

Linking up today with Dance with Jesus and Five-minute Friday. Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash.