Joy In The Waiting
Waiting is one of the hardest parts of life. We don’t like waiting in grocery store lines, traffic, restaurants, or doctor’s offices. We get impatient waiting on Wi-Fi, Amazon deliveries, and app downloads. Waiting frustrates us—especially when it feels unnecessary.
But the hardest waiting isn’t for convenience. It’s waiting on God.
Waiting for a prayer to be answered.
Waiting for clarity and direction.
Waiting for healing, restoration, or breakthrough.
Waiting for a prodigal to come home.
Waiting for peace in the middle of chaos.
And during Christmas—a season centered on hope—waiting can feel even heavier. Yet Christmas is not just the story of a Savior arriving. It’s the story of people who waited.
Christmas Is a Story of Waiting
For generations, God’s people waited for the Messiah. They had read the prophecies. They believed the promises. They prayed the prayers. Parents passed down hope to thir children, yet many never lived to see it fulfilled. For centuries, they waited—sometimes wondering if God had forgotten them.
But God had not forgotten. And He hasn’t forgotten you either.
Simeon: A Man Who Waited Well
In Luke 2, we meet Simeon—a righteous and faithful man who had been waiting for the Messiah his entire life.
“The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.” Luke 2:26
Simeon waited for decades. Israel waited for centuries. But not one moment of that waiting was wasted. From Simeon’s life, we learn three powerful truths about waiting on God.
- God Will Never Forget About Us
We forget things all the time—our phones, our keys, why we walked into a room.
But God doesn’t forget. Even when Heaven feels silent, God is not absent. There was a 400-year period between the Old and New Testaments when God spoke no prophetic word. Yet He was still working behind the scenes, preparing the way for Jesus.
Simeon wasn’t famous. He wasn’t a priest or prophet. He was simply faithful. And God saw him. If you feel forgotten in your waiting, remember this: God sees those who wait on Him.
- God Is Working In Us
Waiting seasons often feel unproductive, but Scripture shows us something different.
“That day the Spirit led him to the Temple.” Luke 2:27
Simeon wasn’t passive. He stayed sensitive to the Spirit. While he waited for something, God was shaping him into someone. Waiting seasons are often where God does His deepest work. Waiting doesn’t mean life is on hold. It means preparation is happening.
- God Has a Plan For Us
When Simeon finally held Jesus, he realized the wait had been worth it. God’s plan was bigger than Simeon’s lifetime—and perfectly timed.
If it’s not God’s time, you can’t force it.
If it is God’s time, you can’t stop it.
God is never early. God is never late. God is always right on time. Waiting develops spiritual strength. There is no shortcut to maturity, faith, or endurance.
“Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.” Isaiah 40:31
A Closing Encouragement
You may feel like you’re just waiting and waiting and waiting—but God is preparing you.
He is strengthening you.
He is shaping you.
He is working for your good.
And just like Simeon, one day you’ll realize the waiting was part of the gift.
Joy doesn’t come when the waiting ends. Joy comes when we trust God in the waiting.
***This blog post was adapted from a sermon preached by Pastor Jason Kimbrow at Legacy Church. Click the “Watch Sermon” button below to watch to the sermon in its entirety.***