Purpose in Waiting

Purpose in Waiting was written to help people understand the purpose and reasons for waiting on the Lord, waiting processes and logistics, and how to more successfully deal with the issues associated with waiting. It is hoped that in so doing, all fellow pilgrims will be encouraged to more successfully finish this unavoidable challenge irrespective of its magnitude and dynamics. This book is not about religiosity. It is for the ordinary person who struggles to obey the Master in a complex world with its growing challenges. The waiting game affects every person. Just about every person can attest that one of the biggest challenges facing them today is the waiting game, often a very painful period that can last for months or years while the person waits. Many people have given up on waiting because of the pains and stress that accompany it. Often, some well-meaning Christians permanently damage what could have been a great breakthrough to a victorious life. Waiting is simply a part of life. It is a period in life when the Christian cannot proceed to the next level of his or her plan, ambition or goal because the “something” he or she is expecting or needs to continue has not been realized. One dictionary described it as the act of remaining inactive in one place while expecting something. In such a situation, the person cannot righteously do anything to overcome the problem immediately. In some cases, there are alternative actions that can be taken to subvert the situation, but these alternative routes are generally unethical, ungodly, evil or sinful. For true Christians who fear the Lord, that makes it very difficult to proceed. Godly waiting almost always results in benefits for the waiters. Although the waiting process can be torturously long, painful and tormenting sometimes, good things often happen during and/or after the period of the waiting. Sampson's hair was growing while the Philistines kept him in prison, so long that by the time they decided to bring him out to perform for them, he had regained so much of his strength to be able to kill so many of them, more than his combined kill during his entire life as Israel's judge (Judges 16:23-30). Nothing tests the Christian’s faith more than longer waiting times. God knows the things He wants to accomplish in our lives during the waiting process. James 1:2-4 tells us that the testing of our faith produces perseverance. The only way to strengthen one’s muscles is by exercising and bearing load. The muscles often get sore during such exercise. There are no short cuts to getting stronger unless we face some resistance. As more and more weights are added to the bar, the muscles scream, sore and get stronger in the process. The waiting process produces similar results in Christians. As we wait, more knowledge is gained, our wisdom is expanded, we get stronger in the Lord, we grow in our spiritual life, and more unknown mysteries (like in the case of Sampson’s hair) are developed. While we may not understand it during the waiting process, one thing is sure: we will be very happy in the end. And it also results in better and increased benefits to the Kingdom of God. Isaiah 40:31 advised that all the children of God who wait upon Him shall renew their strength. As Christians renew their strength, they refresh themselves and are empowered to engage in great things of life without getting tired. Christians are human beings who are subject to all the frailties of mankind. Even machines get serviced every once in a while, or they will break down. In the same token, children of God need to be serviced spiritually and physically to avoid breaking down. This servicing empowers them to be strengthened and accomplish greater things. Isaiah described it as mounting up with wings like eagles, running and not being weary, and walking and not fainting. In chapter 64:4, Isaiah declared that since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, and no eye has seen what God has prepared for those who wait for Him. Godly waiting is oftentimes opportunities waiting to happen. For God’s children, every incident of waiting has a purpose. This book is titled Purpose in Waiting to help emphasize that notion in order to encourage God’s children in whatever they are going through with respect to waiting. When looked at from God’s own point of view, waiting can be seen as a normal part of life that fits into His plan for us. Even when the waiting is as a result of our sin or cause, it somehow fits into His unimaginable and inexplicable plan for us. Sometimes, it is easy to understand why we have to wait, but sometimes it is not so easy at all. So in the final analysis, it behooves us to just surrender ourselves to God’s will and carefully wait and watch to see what He has in plan for us. Let us start practicing the routine of asking ourselves: “what opportunity is in this for me?” whenever a waiting problem faces us. We will notice that if we face life with such an attitude, often the answers will show up sooner or later. We will soon discover that problems do not necessarily have to scare us, because we now perceive them as potential opportunities. In the same way, Godly waiting almost always results in benefits for the waiters. The fruit of patience is beyond imagination or description because it has Divine origins. That is why Christians must stay the course during their waiting process as the reward is too great to play with. Even though it is difficult to visualize at the time of the waiting, Christian waiting always pays good dividends.