When we talk about faith, much of the time we talk about the kind of faith that causes us to step out of the boat of our comfort zone into a new adventure. If we have a problem too big for us to handle, mountain moving faith is another favorite topic. When we are confronted with something that is insurmountable to us, we know that God can do the impossible. But, what about the kind of faith that calls us to wait upon the Lord?

We don’t like to wait. It makes us feel like we are idle or that we are wasting time. If God has put us in the position to wait on him the time is not wasted. He is using that time to grow us. What are some of the elements of waiting faith? How can we learn to wait without losing heart and growing impatient?

The first element of waiting faith is prayer. We lay our need or concern out to God and give it to him. We relinquish our timetable to his. The second element is to remember the character of our God. Many times when we are asked to wait it is to teach us who God is and what he is capable of and to increase our faith.

• He is faithful.
• He is loving.
• He is powerful.
• He is wise.

If our waiting period is a long one we may have to give him our concerns and remind ourselves of his character quite often. The next element of waiting is to do our part. Waiting is not being idle. It is doing what he has called us to do while he handles the things we can’t. We need to ask the Lord if there is something specific that we need to be doing toward the need that we have asked him to meet.

Finally, we need to thank him. We can thank him in advance for what he is going to do but more for revealing who is to us through the time of waiting. While we may not like to wait, it is better than going ahead of God and making a mess of our situation. Waiting means trusting. If God has asked us to wait, he has a plan and will fulfill it in his time.

“Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God beside you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.” (Isaiah 64:4) (NIV)