The Art of Waiting

Waiting—it’s something we all face at one time or another, isn’t it? Whether it’s waiting in line at the DMV, stuck in traffic, or waiting for God to answer a deep cry of the heart, waiting can be challenging. Sometimes it feels like time drags on, leaving us wondering if anything will change or if God has forgotten us. And when we’re waiting for God’s intervention, it’s easy to question if His timing will ever align with ours.

David, the shepherd-turned-king, knew a thing or two about waiting. Anointed to be Israel’s next king in 1 Samuel 16, he didn’t actually take the throne for over 15 years. And during those years, his life was far from easy. In fact, six of those years were spent running for his life, hiding in caves and wildernesses, as King Saul hunted him down. David’s waiting wasn’t just about time passing—it was filled with uncertainty, fear, and danger.

But it was also filled with something beautiful: prayer, worship, and songs. Many of the psalms we treasure today were written during those seasons of waiting. David’s story shows us that waiting isn’t just a passive activity. It’s a chance to trust, worship, and grow deeper in our relationship with God.

Confidence in the Waiting

David starts Psalm 27 with a bold declaration: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1, KJV)

Notice, David doesn’t speak from a place of despair or uncertainty. He speaks with confidence. And this confidence isn’t rooted in his situation—it’s rooted in his trust in God.
David didn’t have blind optimism; he had a deep trust in God’s faithfulness, based on three core truths:

• God is at work in the present: “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” Even in the darkest times, David knew that God was actively working for his good. And the same is true for us—God is at work in our present circumstances, even when we can’t see it.

• God has worked in the past: “When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell” (Psalm 27:2, KJV). David reflects on past victories—like his defeat of the lion, the bear, and Goliath—and this gives him the confidence that God will be faithful again. It’s important to remember how God has shown up for us in the past. When we look back at His faithfulness, it strengthens our confidence in the future.

• God will work in the future: “Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident” (Psalm 27:3, KJV). David’s trust in God’s unchanging nature gave him hope for the future. We can hold onto the same hope. Just as God has been faithful before, we can trust He will continue to be faithful in the days to come.

David’s confidence didn’t depend on his circumstances—it depended on the character of the God he knew. And that’s the key to our own confidence in waiting. As Hebrews 13:8 reminds us, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” If God has been faithful in the past, He will be faithful again.

Worship in the Waiting

Confidence in God’s character isn’t the only thing that helped David in his waiting. Worship played a key role, too. In verse 4, David shares the deepest longing of his heart: “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple” (Psalm 27:4, KJV).

For David, worship wasn’t just a part of his life—it was his life. Even in the middle of his trials, his focus wasn’t solely on his need for deliverance. Instead, it was on his desire to be closer to God. David longed to dwell in God’s presence, to behold His beauty, and to commune with Him. This heart of worship shifted David’s perspective and turned his waiting into an opportunity to grow deeper in his relationship with God.
Worship in the waiting does the same for us. It shifts our focus off our circumstances and places it on the One who holds our future. When we choose to worship during times of waiting, we remind ourselves that God is bigger than our struggles. Worship helps silence doubts, strengthen our faith, and trust in His perfect timing.

The Purpose of Waiting

One of the most important lessons we learn from Psalm 27 is that waiting is never wasted. God doesn’t leave us in limbo; He’s at work in the waiting. While we wait, God is preparing us for what’s ahead, refining our character, and drawing us closer to Himself. David writes: “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart:
wait, I say, on the Lord” (Psalm 27:14, KJV).

The waiting room is where God shapes us. It’s where we learn to trust Him—not just for what He can do for us, but for who He is. And this is a vital part of the process. David understood this truth, and that’s why he could confidently trust God’s goodness, even when the answers hadn’t come yet.

Living the Art of Waiting

So, what does it mean to wait well? To wait well is to trust God with confidence and worship Him wholeheartedly. It’s to believe that His timing is perfect and that His plans are always for our good.

David didn’t just endure his waiting—he grew through it. His psalms reveal a man who turned his fears into faith, his trials into trust, and his waiting into worship. We are called to do the same. Think about the season of waiting you find yourself in right now. What might God be revealing to you through this time? What areas of your life could benefit from deeper trust and worship?

If you’re in a season of waiting, take heart: God hasn’t forgotten you. He’s working—even when you can’t see it. Let your waiting become an act of worship. Place your confidence in the One who has been faithful in the past, is faithful in the present, and will be faithful in the future. And when the waiting feels long, remember David’s words: “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13, KJV)

Waiting might test us, but it also grows us. It teaches us to depend on God, trust His timing, and worship Him for who He is. The art of waiting isn’t about doing nothing—it’s about actively trusting the One who holds all things in His hands.