Last week I spoke to a group of teachers as part of a Fellowship of Christian Athletes program called a “Coaches Huddle.” It is an informal devotion that I lead along with the other pastors in our community. As God so often does with lessons, what I wrote for the message also touched my life and challenged me. The topic for the day was waiting on the Lord, and I thought you might find it helpful too.

Psalm 27:13-14, “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. (14) Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (NIV 2011) This Psalm is one written by King David, and the entire thing drives toward one concept. Believers are frequently called to wait on the Lord to act at the proper time in his perfect way.

The Biblical characters underline this truth to us repeatedly. Abram waited 25 years from the promise of a son to its fulfillment. Joseph, in Genesis, waits 13 years for God to give him the place of honor promised to him. Moses spends 40 years in Egypt and then must spend another 40 tending sheep before he is ready to lead the Lord’s people. Even King David, the author of this passage, was anointed as the next king and then spent 14 years waiting to take the throne.

David, understanding the way of God, says two times in one verse, “Wait for the Lord.” He states it and then restates it to drive home his point. This is the equivalent of him shouting at the top of his lungs. He screams this truth to people living a long time ago, and maybe that is so his words will reach clear to future generations like ours. We live in a time of instant gratification. We have microwaves to cook our food in seconds. One TV service now offers “Movies on Demand.” There is high-speed internet where I can get everything from news to entertainment to personal connection immediately.

Yet, believers are willing to wait for God to act in his own time and in his own uniquely perfect way. We submit our will to his leading and his timing. He forces us to trust him day after day, week after week, and often year after year.

The context of this statement in verse 13, where David says he is confident of one thing. If he clings to the Lord and waits for him, we will see his goodness in this lifetime. This is not a health and wealth gospel that says, “Trust God, and he will give you everything you want.” This is “Cling to God over a lifetime, and his goodness will transform you.” You will receive his blessing, even though it may not look like what we were expecting.

Today, at the start of another week, we may find ourselves in the middle of a season where God has not shown up yet. His blessings are delayed, and we feel like giving up. The challenge of David is to keep holding onto God, even when we want to quit. Wait for the Lord, he is seldom early, but he is never late. Trust him while you spend time in the waiting room of life. When we have the least control is when we need to trust that God is in complete control.