Volume 26, Issue 5
WisconsinChristianNews.com
Page 25
Waiting: A Curse or a Blessing?
Dr. Sherri Tenpenny September 2025 Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 ESV, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under
for healing, for clarity, for answered prayers, for economic relief, for justice, for a life partner, or for the fulfillment of a promise. No matter the source, waiting is tough. We want to get started.
the Lord.”
being a God who sees us struggle during our waiting. You un- derstand the weight of every delayed, seemingly unan- swered prayer. You feel every longing of our hearts, and every moment we feel forgotten or weary. Yet, You are not distant. You are near, even in the silence. You are working, even when we don’t see it. And You are shaping us, even when all we feel is stillness. Lord, help us wait with grace. Teach us to lean not on our own un- derstanding (Proverbs 3:5) but to trust in Your perfect wisdom and tim- ing. Strengthen our faith when we grow weary. Calm our anxious thoughts when the road ahead
seems uncertain and times become more and more turbulent. Fill the roaring spaces with Your peace. Re- mind us that You are never late — You are always right on time. And You are with us, every step of the way. Use our season of waiting to grow our faith, deepen our roots, refine our character, and draw our hearts closer to Yours. May we emerge from the time of waiting not just with answered prayers, but with transformed spirits — more patient, more trusting, and more in love with You. And while we wait, let our lives reflect the hope we have in Christ, so that others may see Your faithfulness through us. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
We want movement. We view delays as wasted time and an interruption of our plans. Yet from God’s per-
heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to em- brace, and a time to refrain from em- bracing.” I think we are all familiar with that passage of the Bible, made famous by the rock band, The Byrds, in 1965 with the song “Turn! Turn! Turn!” It quickly became a hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in De- cember 1965. The song was origi- nally written in 1959 by songwriter and activist Pete Seeger. But it was The Byrds’ folk-rock arrangement that brought it to mainstream fame during the height of the 1960s peace movement. Noticeably absent from that list is “a time to wait.” Waiting is one of the most challeng- ing experiences we encounter. In a world accustomed to immediacy — where we can order food with a tap of a button, buy a plane ticket with a click, or receive answers in seconds — waiting frequently triggers anxiety. It feels uncomfortable, and at times, can be agonizing. We may be waiting
spective, waiting is never “wasted time.” God utilizes delays to quiet the noise in our minds and hearts, allow- ing us to seek clarity from Him. In that vulnerable in-between space, our faith is tested and then deepened. It is during these times that God carries out the most transformative work in our lives. We struggle with waiting because it disrupts our illusion of control and the need for steady predictability. The longer we wait, the more prone we are to experience frustration, boredom, and even anger — espe- cially when the wait seems unfair. Spiritually, these moments test our trust in God's timing. When we have no idea how long the wait will be or why it’s happening, we often assume that when God answers our prayers with silence, He is absent. However, God often uses waiting as a sacred tool — not to punish us, but to shape us. It’s in this tension — the gap be- tween knowing and not knowing — that the roots of our faith are deep- ened. We’re not just waiting for something — we’re in the process of becoming someone. God’s Word ad- vises us in Psalm 27:14 (NASB). “Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for
During this time, we need to shift from “When will this end?” to “Lord, what are You trying to teach me?” and from “Why does this delay going on and on?” to “Who are You trans- forming me to be? What are You preparing me for?” When prayer doesn’t seem to be changing our cir- cumstances, we need to examine our hearts to see how we are being transformed. Many people let their impatience get the best of them and charge ahead: Fire, Aim, Ready. They take action before waiting on the Lord, then scramble to justify their actions afterward, especially when the out- come isn’t pleasant. Instead of fly- ing off the handle, the believer remains faithful and trusts, not be- cause the wait is easy, but because the One we’re waiting on for an- swers sees the Big Picture and can see miles (and years) further down the road than we can. A few verses down, Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV) says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time...” So yes, for everything, there is a sea- son, including a season to wait.
Today’s Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for
P.O. Box 148 • Gallant, AL 35972
Made with FlippingBook Converter PDF to HTML5