We spend a lot of our time waiting. Waiting in line. Waiting for news. Waiting for a response. Waiting for a promotion. Waiting for the next season of life. God is at work in our waiting. We might not see any changes in these times of waiting, particularly through times of difficulty and periods of personal growth, but there is a plan and purpose in all of it.

God can see things that need to be ironed out in our hearts and our lives that would only remain creased and messy if it wasn’t for the refining times of waiting. To encourage those who may be waiting, whether through a long, drawn-out process in their personal life or a line in a grocery store, here are seven examples in the Bible where waiting turned out to be worth it. 

Photo credit: Unsplash/Tim Foster

Health is often taken for granted until you lose it. Many will spend money to keep fit, buy the right food and adopt a lifestyle to stay healthy. When we become unwell, it can affect what we do, how we think, how we feel and in some cases, it can be life-changing. Reading the Bible reveals a lot about health, but also the limits of it and our need for a healer - Jesus.

The Bible is a long and often confusing book, and it's hard to remember all of the truths found within. But when we take time to sit down and read these words, we are reminded of God's goodness and faithfulness, and how he remembers his people from the beginning to the end. This is a book rich with truth, encouragement and wisdom, and there are so many important reasons to remember what's written here. 

In the ancient Greek language, there are four types of love. There is storge love which is love that is shared between family members like that experienced between a parent and child; eros love which is sexual love; phileo love which is brotherly love and there is agape love which is sacrificial love. This fourth kind of love is the love that God has for the world because love is who He is (1 John 4:8) and it is what He desires us to show towards Him and others.

It’s very easy to point the finger at someone who has visibly done something wrong, but what about wrong thinking? Is our thought life important? One of the commandments is “You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor's house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Deuteronomy 5:21). If this commandment is broken, it can only be seen by God because it is a desire that comes from within us.

To covet means to strongly desire something that we cannot have and that we are not entitled to. We can be enticed by all sorts of things: status, fame, a job, a bigger home, a nicer car, an attractive spouse, talent, money and more. We think that if we could just have that thing, then we will gratify that part of us that longs for it and be happy. The desire to have more than what we have shows an absence of contentment in our life. However, it is only the Lord who can sustain and satisfy those deep longings that we have.

We do not like to admit our weaknesses. The expression “play to your strengths” is all about focusing on what we do well. If people could see us for who we really are from the inside – including our struggles, flaws, and insecurities – it could change their perception of us. Our weaknesses may be hidden from view, but God knows. The Lord does not look at the outward appearance, but He looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

Weakness is an opportunity for God to work powerfully in our lives. Even when our flesh and heart fail us, He is the strength of our heart (Psalm 73:26). As we reflect on the areas of our lives where we know we are weak, in whatever capacity that is, may we look to Jesus and ponder how He works through our weaknesses for His glory.

It’s really exciting to receive an invitation through the mail. When we are invited to share special occasions, we are welcomed to embrace the intimate moments of those that we care about. When we read about Jesus, He offered the most personal invitation to humanity – Himself. Jesus did not turn crowds and individuals away. Far from being the life and soul of the party, Jesus was interested in those He came into contact with. He met the deepest longings of the human heart. And He continues to do that today.

We are invited into a relationship with God, but it is up to us to accept the invitation. As we read the first chapter of the gospel of John, we can see how an invitation from Jesus impacted the lives of the early disciples and how it matters for us today.

John the Baptist stands out as a memorable character. He lived in the wilderness, wore garments made of camel hair, ate locusts and wild honey, and was the cousin of Jesus Christ. John bridged the gap between the Old and New Testament and ended 400 years of silence on the expectation of the promised Messiah by preparing the way for the coming of Jesus. Although John attracted large crowds and had his own disciples, he never let it detract from his mission. When he saw Jesus, he said “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

Today, we can look at the example of John the Baptist as a witness who continually pointed to Jesus. His life and message were marked with simplicity, humility and earnestness. We can learn much from him as we share the gospel with others and seek to live our lives for Jesus. Here are 5 lessons that we can take from this iconic preacher:

Fear of the Lord is not usually given much airtime in churches, nor much thought in the day-to-day lives of Christians. However, Deuteronomy 13:4 is clear that we should fear the Lord. This type of fear is reverence and awe as we seek to obey, follow and worship the Lord for who He is. As we look to Jesus, we can learn what it means to walk in the fear of the Lord in a world where dread seems to dominate.