Waiting Tests Faith

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope. 

- Psalm 130:5

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 

- Hebrews 11:1

The following excerpt is from Jan Markell's wonderful devotional book for the ill and their caregivers and friends: Waiting for a Miracle.


"Sickness turns our lives into a waiting game. Early stages of affliction are particularly difficult as we wait for test results, for a diagnosis, and for a pattern to our dilemma. Then we wait for medication to take effect, or for a cure, or at least for a medical breakthrough. ...And we wait for answered prayer to bring us the miracle we often need.

"We become rather adept at waiting and hoping, although not naturally. It takes work to let faith and hope be in charge. ...Humanity in general is lousy at waiting.

"...Waiting--often waiting until problems have reached a climax--has always been a plan of God. Jesus worked this way with his disciples when they were in great distress during the storm at sea. God could have calmed the first wave but then the disciples would never have become acquainted with the power of Jesus. God often lets those waves rise high, as he did for the children of Israel at the crossing of the Red Sea, so his name can be magnified. [Also remember the account of Lazarus, Martha and Mary in John 11.]

"God leads us into the school of waiting. There he wants to give us so much that could be learned no other way: patience, humility, steadfast faith, and much more. God really wants to give us more than just the help we are asking, but he may first ask us to graduate from the school of waiting. 

"But remember, well people must go through this school as must afflicted people. Our courses may be a bit different, but every one of us lives in the world of waiting."

The word hope I take for faith; indeed hope is nothing else but the constancy of faith. 

- John Calvin

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning,
    and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Ecclesiastes 7:8