“Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.” Isaiah 30:18

I hate waiting. Impatience might be my besetting sin. Whether it’s standing in a long line, sitting at a red light that seems to last forever, or waiting on that slow foursome ahead of me on the golf course, I struggle with it. It would be easy to excuse this sin, yes, I do mean sin- by blaming my DNA and pointing the finger at my father. But that excuse doesn’t hold up, because Scripture clearly teaches that each person is responsible for his own sin (see Jeremiah 31:30).

In our fast-paced world, where we are conditioned to expect instant everything, waiting can feel unbearable. Delay is often perceived as the enemy, something that keeps us from achieving our immediate goals. We tend to see it as wasted time.

But is it really? Perhaps the problem is not wasted time but wasted waiting. Here are a few thoughts on how we can learn to embrace the wait.

1. See impatience as a desire for control.

The discomfort of waiting often grows out of the illusion that we are in control. Yet the tension begins to fade when, in the middle of our frustration, we remember that God is sovereign over every aspect of life.

As Christians, we are called to “walk by faith, not by sight.” And if we are honest, we must admit that we cannot know what good thing may have been made possible by our waiting, or what trouble may have been avoided because of it. Impatience, at its root, reveals a lack of trust in God’s good and perfect plan.

Waiting can open our eyes to things we might otherwise miss.

2. See waiting as an opportunity.

More than one hundred verses in the Bible reference waiting. Many of them encourage an awareness of what God is doing in and around us.

When we view waiting as an opportunity, it becomes a moment of discernment. How should I respond right now? Do I need to pause and listen? Should I pray? Is there someone around me who needs encouragement? Is there something I should focus on besides myself?

Waiting can open our eyes to things we might otherwise miss.

3. See waiting as a spiritual discipline.

David wrote in Psalm 40, “I waited patiently for the Lord.” Interestingly, there is no distinct Hebrew word for “patiently.” Instead, the word waited is repeated- literally, “I waited, waited for the Lord.”

In other words, there is a kind of waiting within the wait. It is a time to turn our attention toward God, to listen for His voice, the “still small voice” that often speaks in quiet moments. You may be surprised how often waiting quietly before God turns into worship.

Rest assured, your struggle with impatience is not unusual, and it will likely continue. Most of us do not enjoy waiting. But by God’s grace, we can learn to find blessing in the delay.

After all, God Himself is waiting- so that He may be gracious to you.