Topical Bible: Waiting is Good

Bible > Topical > Waiting is Good

◄ Waiting is Good ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In the Christian faith, the concept of waiting is often seen as a virtue and a spiritual discipline that reflects trust in God's timing and sovereignty. The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings that highlight the benefits and spiritual growth that can come from waiting on the Lord.

Biblical Examples of Waiting

1. Abraham and Sarah: One of the most notable examples of waiting in the Bible is the account of Abraham and Sarah. God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, yet he and Sarah waited many years for the birth of their son Isaac. This period of waiting tested their faith and reliance on God's promises. Genesis 21:1-2 states, "Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him."

2. Joseph: Joseph's life is a testament to the virtue of waiting. Sold into slavery by his brothers and later imprisoned in Egypt, Joseph waited many years before seeing the fulfillment of his God-given dreams. His patience and faithfulness during this time ultimately led to his rise to power and the salvation of his family. Genesis 50:20 reflects Joseph's understanding of God's timing: "As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

3. David: Anointed as king while still a young shepherd, David waited many years before he actually ascended to the throne of Israel. During this time, he faced numerous challenges, including persecution by King Saul. David's psalms often reflect his reliance on God during these periods of waiting. Psalm 27:14 encourages believers, "Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!"

Teachings on Waiting

1. Trust in God's Timing: The Bible teaches that God's timing is perfect and that waiting can strengthen our faith. Ecclesiastes 3:11 states, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work God has done from beginning to end."

2. Renewed Strength: Waiting on the Lord is associated with renewed strength and endurance. Isaiah 40:31 promises, "But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint."

3. Patience and Perseverance: The New Testament also emphasizes the importance of patience and perseverance. James 5:7-8 advises, "Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains. You too, be patient and strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near."

4. Hope and Expectation: Waiting is often linked with hope and expectation in the Bible. Romans 8:25 states, "But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently." This hope is not passive but is filled with anticipation of God's promises being fulfilled.

Spiritual Growth Through Waiting

Waiting is a process that can lead to spiritual maturity and deeper intimacy with God. It teaches believers to rely not on their own understanding but on God's wisdom and timing. Through waiting, Christians learn to surrender their desires and align their will with God's purposes. This spiritual discipline fosters a deeper trust in God's plan and cultivates a heart of gratitude and contentment.

Nave's Topical Index

Psalm 52:9
I will praise you for ever, because you have done it: and I will wait on your name; for it is good before your saints.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Waiting on the Lord
... It was long and oh, how wearisome! Why did God wait so long, was there any adequate
reason? Yes, when God waits there is always a good reason for the waiting. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/naylor/heart talks/talk twenty-two waiting on the.htm

Waiting the Father's Word.
... parchment rolls in Nazareth was standing Him in good stead now. Through many a
prayerful hour over that Word had come the trained ear, the waiting spirit, the ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks about jesus/waiting the fathers word.htm

God's Waiting and Man's
... 4. That waiting is full of divine desire to help. It is not the waiting of
indifference, which says: 'If you will have it"well and good. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/gods waiting and mans.htm

Waiting Faith Rewarded and Strengthened by New Revelations
... GENESIS WAITING FAITH REWARDED AND STRENGTHENED BY NEW REVELATIONS. ... with our Ishmaels,
which satisfy us, and would not withdraw us from possessed good, to make ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture k/waiting faith rewarded and strengthened.htm

Waiting and Singing
... you will catch no water; if you do not watch for God coming to help you, God's watching
to be gracious will be of no good at all to you. His waiting is not a ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/waiting and singing.htm

A Relation of My Imprisonment in the Month of November 1660
... Thus have I, in short, declared the manner and occasion of my being in prison; where
I lie waiting the good will of God, to do with me as He pleaseth; knowing ...
/.../grace abounding to the chief of sinners/a relation of my imprisonment.htm

Waiting Only Upon God
... And are you troubled and grieved, lest you should lose your good name? ... some expectation
of them, and that is just the reason why you are always waiting upon her ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/waiting only upon god.htm

The Blessing of Being with Good People. How Certain Illusions were ...
... I had become by this time fond of good books, and that gave me life ... So, considering
that such waiting was not safe for me, I obtained my end in another way, as ...
/.../teresa/the life of st teresa of jesus/chapter iii the blessing of.htm

The Waiting Maidens
... it: 'Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works ... Centuries
of delay cannot but modify the attitude of the waiting Church, and Jesus here ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the waiting maidens.htm

Letter ii. --Good Symptoms.
... it is true, but which have had and will continue to have very good effects ... cut, and
polished, with heavy blows of the hammer and chisel, waiting patiently until ...
/.../de caussade/abandonment to divine providence/letter ii good symptoms.htm