Learning to Embrace the Wait
It’s officially the beginning of December, which means that Advent has begun - a time that signifies “arrival” and reminds us that we live between two advents: Christ’s first coming and His promised return.
It is a reminder that we are in a season of waiting - Waiting on the Lord.
And, while I love everything about Christmas and the Advent season, I can’t say the same about waiting.
If I’m honest, I hate waiting.
It is very difficult for me to be at ease while waiting.
It is frustrating.
It feels unproductive.
It makes me anxious.
It is especially agonizing for someone who likes to get things done.
The Home Depot slogan echoes in my mind as I type - “Doers Get More Done.”
Because deep down at the core of who I am, I think I have always believed that to be true.
That if I just work harder, connect with the right people, and stay disciplined, I can get more done.
I can figure it out.
I can achieve anything.
And I’d be willing to bet that many of us share this mindset.
Our culture celebrates self-reliance and achievement.
It teaches us to believe in limitless opportunities.
And, honestly, there is something beautiful about that.
This belief in ourselves.. in humanity.. in ingenuity and the ability to find solutions.
Many of us have grown up being told that we can be anyone we want to be and do anything we want to do.
I love that optimism.
A world of possibility like that hasn’t been true for all people at all times.
But while this can be empowering, it can also leave us unprepared and ill-equipped for seasons of waiting.
So when life doesn’t go as planned—when we don’t get the job, when we don’t get the relationship, or when we don’t get the success we envisioned—we tend to panic.
Rather than slowing down to reflect and discern a way forward, we oftentimes act impulsively.
We try to force a solution.
We speed things up
We work harder
We fill our time with tasks
We try to manufacture something in order to regain control.
But what if the key to finding peace in waiting—and in life—isn't about doing more, but about learning to embrace the wait more?
Would life be different if we started seeing these seasons of waiting as an opportunity rather than an obstacle to be overcome?
Would it be different if we became people who even chose to wait?
The Bible seems to direct us onto this path.
In Psalm 25, King David demonstrates what it looks like to embrace the wait:
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.Psalm 25:1-5 ESV
David is feeling anxious about life. He’s got people who are actively trying to harm him. He is concerned about his safety and his future.
But rather than rushing to take matters into his own hands, David waits.
He acknowledges that none who wait for the Lord shall be put to shame. None who move with great care or prudence by seeking God will be crushed.
So he is resolved to wait for Him all day long.
He is not fighting it.
He is not actively against it.
In fact, he is happily choosing it!
Because for him, waiting isn’t a waste of time. It’s something to be utilized.
It’s where he draws his strength from.
It’s where he finds peace.
It’s not a passive sitting around doing nothing. It’s an active, prayerful surrender to God’s timing and guidance.
David recognized that there is power in embracing the wait.
And he did three things in the midst of it:
He prayed
He listened
He prepared
He turned to God in honest dependence, he earnestly sought to know God, and he sought out his ways and his paths in order to put them into practice.
He shifts his focus from striving to surrendering, from doing to trusting.
Learning to trust that God is working even when he can’t see it.
And I just wonder what might happen if we began to do the same..
In this season of Advent or in any season of waiting.
What if instead of rushing through it, trying to get past it, or manufacturing outcomes on our own, we spent this time in prayer, seeking God’s paths, and trusting that He is working behind the scenes.
What if we started to embrace the wait by:
Praying Intentionally: Pour out our desires and anxieties to God.
Listening Actively: Seek God’s guidance through His Word and prayer.
Preparing Faithfully: Use the waiting season to grow spiritually and align with God’s purpose - Seeking to discern his ways and his paths for us.
By embracing the waiting like David did, we learn to place our hope and trust in God rather than in our own efforts.
This doesn’t mean we abandon responsibility or initiative. But it does mean we surrender our plans to God and trust His timing.
The beauty of waiting is that it positions us to receive something better than we could achieve on our own. It builds our faith, teaches us patience, and prepares us for what God has in store.
So, while waiting may feel uncomfortable and unproductive, it’s not a waste of time.
Waiting isn’t wasted when it draws us closer to God.
So - perhaps the greatest secret to waiting well is recognizing that it’s not an obstacle to overcome but an opportunity to grow.
And maybe, just maybe..
In the end - Waiting gets more done.