Why is God Making Me Wait? - Missing Peace Part 3

Why Is God Making Me Wait?

Scripture References

Primary text

• Genesis 3
• Isaiah 7:14
• Galatians 4:4-5

Other references

• Isaiah 64:4
• 2 Peter 3:9

Overview

Waiting can feel like one of life’s worst experiences—especially when the wait is for God to act. From Israel’s centuries-long expectation of the Messiah to the personal prayers we offer today, Scripture shows that apparent silence is not absence: while we wait, God is always working. At the “set time” He sent Jesus, and in every delay He is still accomplishing perfect purposes for His glory and our good.

Main Points

Waiting is universally painful

• No one likes to wait; unanswered prayers provoke questions like “God, are You listening? Do You care?”
• Everyday examples: migraines, salvation of a loved one, a job with benefits, depression, marriage healing, a future spouse.
  • Story: Friend’s spouse-list shrank from 43 traits to just “male and employed” after years of waiting.

“Just because God feels silent doesn’t mean He’s absent.”

God’s people waited for the promised Savior

• First hint appears early: Genesis 3—“the seed of a woman” would crush the serpent.
• 700 years before Jesus, Isaiah 7:14 foretold a virgin birth and the name “Emmanuel.”
• Still nothing for centuries; longing intensified.

The 400 silent years: God working behind the scenes

• Inner-testamental period (Malachi to Matthew): no prophetic word, yet massive preparation.
  1. Alexander the Great’s conquests created a common Greek language.
  2. Old Testament translated into Greek (Septuagint), making prophecy readable to all.
  3. Socratic method encouraged people to ask spiritual questions.
  4. Roman peace and road system enabled rapid travel and communication.
  5. Jewish diaspora scattered witnesses of God throughout the empire.
• Outcome: when Jesus came, roads, language, and spiritual hunger were ready for the gospel.

In the “pleroma chronou” — the fullness of time

• Galatians 4:4-5: God sent His Son at the perfect, “fully pregnant” moment.
• Principle:
  • If it’s not God’s time, you can’t force it.
  • When it is God’s time, nothing can stop it.

What God may be doing while you wait

• Working on “it” (the situation) or on “you” (character, dependence, faith).
• Biblical waiters:
  • Abraham & Sarah—25 years for Isaac.
  • Joseph—13 years, much in prison.
  • Woman with issue of blood—12 years.
  • Lame man—38 years.
• “God’s delays are not necessarily God’s denials.”
• Don’t waste the waiting: learn patience, deeper trust, new dependence.

Personal testimony: waiting for a spouse

• Story: Speaker stopped dating for 2+ years, spending Saturday nights journaling and praying for future wife.
• Meanwhile God was drawing Amy back from wandering; on Nov 19 1989 she surrendered fully to Christ.
• Engagement a year later; 30 years of marriage, six children, growing family—evidence that while he waited, God worked.

God pursues us first

• Unlike other religions where people chase God through works, Christianity reveals a God who chases us.
• Jesus—born of a woman, yet conceived by the Holy Spirit—lived sinless, died, and rose to redeem.
• 2 Peter 3:9 shows His patience, “not wanting anyone to perish.”
• Today may be the “set time” for someone to surrender to Christ.

Key Truths

• Waiting often feels like silence, but God’s silence is never His absence.
• God’s timing is perfect; when the time is right, His purpose is unstoppable.
• History proves that God prepares the context long before the breakthrough appears.
• Delays shape our character; God frequently works in us before He works for us.
• The gospel itself is proof that God actively pursues humanity, not the other way around.

Response

• Trust God’s character even when you cannot trace His activity.
• Examine whether God is preparing the situation, preparing you, or both.
• Refuse to waste the waiting; press into prayer, Scripture, and obedience.
• Remember past faithfulness to fuel present patience.
• Share your waiting story to encourage others who feel forgotten.

Closing

Waiting is hard, but it is not empty. From Eden’s first promise to the manger in Bethlehem, God has shown that every delay is purposeful. He may be aligning circumstances, refining your heart, or both, but His plans are always good and His timing flawless.

“While you’re waiting, God is working.”

Hold to that truth, and at the perfect time you will see what He alone can do.

Prayer

Father, strengthen all who are in a holding pattern. Deepen our trust, refine our hearts, and accomplish Your perfect will in Your perfect time. We believe You can, we ask that You will, and even if You do not in the way we expect, we will still believe. In Jesus’ name, amen.