Waiting as Training
By Ryan Dawson
If I’m honest, I’m not very good at waiting. I take the shorter line at the grocery store — even if it means darting between lanes. Sometimes when I'm in a hurry I drive faster than I should. And few things test my patience like sitting on hold, listening to endless elevator music, wondering if anyone will ever pick up the phone.
Waiting is hard. We live in a culture that prizes speed. Faster internet. Faster delivery. Faster results. We are trained to see waiting as wasted time — a frustrating delay between where we are and where we want to be. But God sees waiting very differently.
In Psalm 27:14, David writes: “Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!”(NKJV)
The Passion Translation helps us see the heart of this beautifully: “Here’s what I’ve learned through it all: don’t give up; don’t be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep waiting — for he will never disappoint you!” (Psalm 27:14, TPT)
That word “wait” in Hebrew is gavah. It doesn’t mean passively sitting around doing nothing. It means to look for, to hope, to expect, to linger, or to tarry patiently. Biblical waiting is active and not idle. It is expectant, not resigned and not anxious.
Biblical waiting is not wasting time — it is our trust in action.
When we wait on God, we are choosing to depend on Him instead of forcing outcomes ourselves. We are loosening our grip on control and learning to lean on His timing, His wisdom, and His faithfulness. I’ll be honest, this isn’t always easy for me, but I’m learning to trust God in my waiting.
But here’s the surprising truth: God uses our waiting as training. In seasons of waiting, God shapes our character. He refines our patience and deepens our faith. He exposes what we are really trusting in and teaches us to rest in Him rather than rush ahead of Him.
Waiting trains us to become more like Jesus — who trusted the Father’s timing completely, even when the path was slow, difficult, and painful.
Think of how many people in Scripture were formed in their waiting:
In each case, God was not delaying — He was preparing. In this sense “Waiting is training.”God is doing something in us while we wait for Him to do something for us.
And the beautiful promise is that we do not wait alone. Isaiah reminds us of God’s heart toward weary, waiting people:
Isaiah 40:29-31 (NASB)
He gives strength to the weary,
And to the one who lacks might He increases power.
Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
God is with us in our waiting, and He is working in our waiting. So, trust God in your waiting and you will see His goodness.
Blessings, Ryan
If I’m honest, I’m not very good at waiting. I take the shorter line at the grocery store — even if it means darting between lanes. Sometimes when I'm in a hurry I drive faster than I should. And few things test my patience like sitting on hold, listening to endless elevator music, wondering if anyone will ever pick up the phone.
Waiting is hard. We live in a culture that prizes speed. Faster internet. Faster delivery. Faster results. We are trained to see waiting as wasted time — a frustrating delay between where we are and where we want to be. But God sees waiting very differently.
In Psalm 27:14, David writes: “Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!”(NKJV)
The Passion Translation helps us see the heart of this beautifully: “Here’s what I’ve learned through it all: don’t give up; don’t be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep waiting — for he will never disappoint you!” (Psalm 27:14, TPT)
That word “wait” in Hebrew is gavah. It doesn’t mean passively sitting around doing nothing. It means to look for, to hope, to expect, to linger, or to tarry patiently. Biblical waiting is active and not idle. It is expectant, not resigned and not anxious.
Biblical waiting is not wasting time — it is our trust in action.
When we wait on God, we are choosing to depend on Him instead of forcing outcomes ourselves. We are loosening our grip on control and learning to lean on His timing, His wisdom, and His faithfulness. I’ll be honest, this isn’t always easy for me, but I’m learning to trust God in my waiting.
But here’s the surprising truth: God uses our waiting as training. In seasons of waiting, God shapes our character. He refines our patience and deepens our faith. He exposes what we are really trusting in and teaches us to rest in Him rather than rush ahead of Him.
Waiting trains us to become more like Jesus — who trusted the Father’s timing completely, even when the path was slow, difficult, and painful.
Think of how many people in Scripture were formed in their waiting:
- Abraham waited for the promised son.
- Joseph waited in prison before ruling in Egypt.
- Moses waited in the desert on route to the Promised Land.
- Hannah waited for a child.
- David waited years before becoming king.
- Daniel waited for deliverance as he lived in exile in Babylon.
- And even Jesus waited thirty years before beginning His public ministry.
In each case, God was not delaying — He was preparing. In this sense “Waiting is training.”God is doing something in us while we wait for Him to do something for us.
And the beautiful promise is that we do not wait alone. Isaiah reminds us of God’s heart toward weary, waiting people:
Isaiah 40:29-31 (NASB)
He gives strength to the weary,
And to the one who lacks might He increases power.
Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
God is with us in our waiting, and He is working in our waiting. So, trust God in your waiting and you will see His goodness.
Blessings, Ryan