Wait -

1. to remain inactive or in a state of repose, as until something expected happens (often fol. by for, till, or until): "to wait for the bus to arrive."

2. (of things) to be available or in readiness: "A letter is waiting for you."

3. to remain neglected for a time: "a matter that can wait."

4. to postpone or delay something or to be postponed or delayed: "We waited a week and then bought the house. Your vacation will have to wait until next month."

5. to look forward to eagerly: "I'm just waiting for the day somebody knocks him down."

6. to continue as one is in expectation of; await: "to wait one's turn at a telephone booth."

7. to postpone or delay in expectation: "Don't wait supper for me."

8. to be in readiness for; be reserved for; await: "Glory waits thee."

9. to attend upon or escort, esp. as a sign of respect

10. an act or instance of waiting or awaiting; delay; halt: "a wait at the border."

11. a period or interval of waiting: "There will be a long wait between trains."

12. wait on, (a) to perform the duties of an attendant or servant for, (b) to supply the wants of a person, as serving a meal or serving a customer in a store, (c) to call upon or visit (a person, esp. a superior): "to wait on Her Majesty at the palace. "

13. wait up, (a) to postpone going to bed to await someone's arrival. (b) to halt and wait for another to join one, as in running or walking: "Wait up, I can't walk so fast."


I suppose that everyone is waiting for something…”breakthrough” I guess. I really hate that word. People call in for prayer all the time and say, “I need a breakthrough!”

I usually follow with, “Breakthrough for what?!” I don’t want to sound uncompassionate or heartless, but that phrase is so overused and most of the time, by people that don’t mean “breakthrough” but “hand out.” Even myself! I find myself in a season of waiting for a “breakthrough” but really…why should I believe that I deserve anything! Christine Cain said once, “…what we really deserve is eternal damnation!” How true! Who am I that I should expect anything from the Lord based on what I DESERVE?!

I’ve been thinking about what it is that keeps us in wait. Maybe it’s disobedience. Maybe it’s a lesson from God. Maybe we are not ready for what we are waiting on and in the end, it will be a stumbling block for us instead of a blessing. Maybe we don’t know how to pray for it. Maybe God’s working behind the scenes the whole time! I find that usually it’s the last one.

This past week at church, Pr. Shawn taught on expectation/hope. It was a wonderful teaching. Just researching the God of hope, you find SO many verses where the Lord is trying to teach us to have hope in HIM through waiting. In the Amplified version, Psalms 42 and 43 teach us to wait expectantly, nonetheless! Isaiah 30 gives a blessing to those that wait on the Lord. Hosea 12 teaches us to wait in Him always! And the list continues . . . Here’s just a few . . . my favorite is the last . . .

Psalm 25:5
“…you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”

Rom 5:5
“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

Psa 42:11
“Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

Isa 30:18
“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”

Psa 62:5
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.”

Rom 15:13
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Psa 38:15
“I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God."

Jud 1:21
“Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”

Mic 7:7
“But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.”