I have spent many hours in doctor’s waiting rooms while helping care for both of our mothers.
You sign in.
You sit down.
And then you wait.
Most of us do not like waiting because waiting makes us feel powerless. We cannot speed up the doctor, force the answer, rush the process, or control what happens next.
And waiting on God can feel even harder.
When we are waiting on God, we may not know what He is doing. We may not know when the answer will come. We may not even feel like He is close.
That is why waiting can feel less like faith and more like being left in the dark.
Waiting Is Part of Life
Waiting is not unusual. It is woven into ordinary life.
Armies wait for supplies.
Police wait for backup.
We wait in lines, wait for test results, wait for updates, wait for answers, and wait for direction.
There is usually a measure of time between the need and the answer.
For many of us, that space is uncomfortable.
Waiting often feels negative — something to endure, tolerate, or simply “get through.” It can feel like being put aside for now.
“Wait for the check in the mail.”
“Wait until your father gets home.”
“Wait your turn.”
Waiting can feel frustrating, uncertain, and even painful.
But in Scripture, waiting is not only delay. Waiting can also become hope.
Waiting on God Is Not Empty Delay
Biblical waiting is not passive resignation. It is not pretending everything is fine. It is not giving up because nothing seems to be happening.
Waiting on God is hopeful dependence.
It is the heart turning toward God when the answer has not yet come.
It is faith staying alert in the dark.
Psalm 130:6 says:
“My soul waits for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning; indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.”
That last phrase is repeated for emphasis.
The psalmist compares waiting on the Lord to watchmen waiting for morning.
That image matters.
Like Watchmen Waiting for the Morning
A watchman stood guard in the darkness, where things were obscure and hidden.
In Bible times, the watchman stood on the city wall, looking out over the surrounding area. He watched for enemies, danger, or wild beasts outside the city.
Even in the black of night, he stayed alert.
He could not make the morning come faster.
He could not remove the darkness by his own effort.
He could not force the sun to rise.
But he could keep watching.
He could remain faithful at his post.
He could trust that morning was coming.
When Waiting Feels Dark
Sometimes, while waiting on God, it is hard to keep our faith alert.
We cannot see clearly.
We do not know what is coming.
We do not know how long the waiting will last.
It can be tiring.
It can be uncomfortable.
It can be hard.
It can stir fear and anxiety.
At times, we may not see God clearly or feel Him close. We may feel hidden, forgotten, or left in the dark.
The waiting can seem long and endless.
But the watchman teaches us something important.
The darkness does not mean the sun has disappeared.
It only means the sun is temporarily out of view.
God Is Still Present When He Feels Hidden
The watchmen on the wall knew the sun was still there, even when they could not see it.
And so it is with God.
There are seasons when we cannot see Him clearly. There are times when we do not feel His nearness. There are moments when prayer feels quiet and the next step is not yet obvious.
But God has not disappeared.
He has promised:
“I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
Waiting on God does not mean God is absent.
It means we are learning to trust Him when He is hidden from view.
The Morning Will Come
If we wait like the watchman, the morning will eventually come.
The dawn will break.
The sun will rise.
Our view will become clearer.
In God’s time, the decisions we need to make, the next step we need to take, and the answers we have been waiting for will come into the light.
Is waiting easy? No.
But as surely as the sun rises each morning, our God remains faithful.
So when you cannot see clearly, keep watching.
Keep turning your soul toward the Lord.
The night is not forever.
The morning will come.