Hold your position! Often waiting seems like there is nothing happening but the passing of time. This is an illusion. The bible says that those who wait are strengthened:

"But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." - Isaiah 40:31

Growing up I always equated waiting with being sedentary. It seemed that when I waited, I was inactive and what I waited for was also inactive. Then the moment would come when the elusive answer would arrive. I think the reason waiting feels this way is because our focus becomes laser pointed at one thing. We eat sleep and work thinking only of whatever we are waiting for until it arrives. But as I have matured, I realize that waiting can be the most active thing that I do. When I wait I am hoping for an outcome. I become tethered to what I wait for, and begin to believe that something is going to happen. Now it's true that sometimes what I want to occur is totally unreasonable or improbable or impossible...but we all have hopes and dreams. And so I wait anyway. But when we wait on a promise of God, we never wait in vain.

In scripture there is a prophet named Elijah who is the best example I know of someone who waits because he believes something to be true. He knows that God promised something and he knows that God always keeps his promises. Because of this knowledge, his waiting was an act of believing...his believing strengthened him as he held fast in one position. When we wait for something that God has promised, we never wait in vain.

"Elijah went to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees. Then he said to his servant,'go and look towards the sea.' The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, 'I didn't see anything.' Seven times Elijah told him to go and look. Finally the seventh time his servant told him, 'I saw a little cloud about the size of a man's hand rising from the sea.' Then Elijah shouted 'Hurry to Ahab and tell him, climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don't hurry the heavy rains will stop you.' And soon the sky was thick with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm. Then the Lord gave special strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab's chariot all the way to Jezereel." - 1Kings18:42-45

(Did I mention that this was in the midst of a three year drought! Yes Elijah had prayed three years before, for God to close the skies...and for three years until this day, not a drop of rain had fallen to the ground.)

You see, Elijah knew exactly what he was waiting for. When it says that he sent his servant to look seven times, you need to realize that he didn't send him a few feet away to look for the cloud, but he sent him up to the top of Mount Carmel and back down again SEVEN times! The reason that Elijah didn't stop waiting is because God had given him the promise. God had told Elijah that there would be a heavy rain. (To expect any rain, even one drop, after three years of drought filled days, takes enormous faith.)

When we choose to believe God, we will never be disappointed. Time after time, story after story, promise after promise...God ALWAYS comes through.!

Now when I wait I am thankful for the time to sit and strengthen my faith, my belief in the only one worth believing in. My hopes are in the one true God whose character is set apart, perfect, and Holy. I know in whom I believe and I am able to hold fast.