Waiting Well

Opening Questions

1. When you hear the word waiting, what comes to mind — a positive expectation, frustration, idle time, or something else?
2. In your life, what are you currently waiting for (e.g., a relationship, a job change, healing, direction)?
3. What does the Bible (or your experience) teach about how waiting shapes a man of God?
4. What kinds of waiting are especially hard for men (e.g., waiting to provide, waiting for legacy, waiting for maturity)?
5. How might waiting be more than just passive delay — what might God be doing in the meantime?

Theme: Waiting is not simply doing nothing until something happens — for the Christian man, waiting is an act of faith, surrender, expectancy and preparation. As we wait on the Lord, He works in us and through us.

1. Psalm 37:7-9

“Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret—it only causes harm.
For evildoers shall be cut off;
But those who wait on the LORD,
They shall inherit the earth.
For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
Indeed, you will look carefully for his place,
But it shall be no more.”
(Psalm 37:7-9)

Commentary:
In this passage David encourages the believer to relinquish anxiety (“do not fret”) and to adopt an attitude of restful waiting on the LORD. In the cultural context of ancient Israel, waiting might be associated with helplessness, but here David reframes it as trust in God’s timing and justice. The promise that “those who wait on the LORD … shall inherit the earth” underscores that waiting is not passive defeat, but confident expectation of God’s vindication and blessing. 

The injunction to “cease from anger” shows waiting and fret are linked: when we see others prospering quickly or wickedly, we might react in resentment — but David says that only harms our soul.

Discussion Question:

• What in your life has caused you to “fret” rather than wait on the Lord?
• How might you shift from frustration to restful waiting, trusting God’s timing?

2. Psalm 40:1-3

“I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the LORD.”
(Psalm 40:1-3)

Commentary:
Here David gives a personal testimony: he waited patiently for the LORD, and the Lord heard him and delivered him from the “horrible pit.” 

The phrase “miry clay” reflects the ancient Israelite metaphor of sinking in swamps or mire — a state of helplessness. God “set my feet upon a rock” — giving stability, a firm foundation. The waiting here is linked with deliverance, and the result is praise and testimony to others. This reminds our men’s group that waiting is not wasted time: God is at work, often behind the scenes, until the breakthrough. The historical significance: David’s many years of persecution prepared him for the throne; waiting shaped his character.

Discussion Question:

• Can you identify a time when waiting preceded a breakthrough or a shift in your life?
• How did that season of waiting prepare you for the next chapter rather than just delay you?

3. Isaiah 40:31

“But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.”
(Isaiah 40:31)

Commentary:
This verse comes in the context of the prophet Isaiah comforting the exiled people of Judah, assuring them of God’s power and faithfulness. 

Waiting here is active and expectant: “wait on the LORD” (Hebrew literally “bind yourself to the LORD,” “hope in the LORD”). The promise of strength renewal is especially significant for men: in our culture there’s pressure to “go it alone,” but the text says waiting on God reinvigorates us rather than drains us. The eagle imagery: eagles wait for the right thermal updraft then soar—so our waiting with God positions us to rise. 

In a men’s setting: waiting isn’t passive sitting, but yielding, trusting, preparing. It transforms weariness into power.

Discussion Question:

• What “weariness” are you feeling in your life right now (spiritual, emotional, physical)?
• How might “waiting on the LORD” (in faith, surrender) lead to renewed strength rather than exhaustion?

4. Isaiah 30:18

“Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you;
And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
Blessed are all those who wait for Him.”
(Isaiah 30:18)

Commentary:
Here Isaiah reminds the people that God Himself is waiting — He waits to show grace and mercy. God’s waiting is purposeful. For men, it means that waiting isn’t just about our timeline—it is about acknowledging God’s timing and character of mercy. The cultural context: Judah was making alliances in fear rather than waiting on the LORD; Isaiah calls them back to trust. Waiting is thus an act of worship and dependence, not just idleness.

Discussion Question:

• How does it affect you to know that God Himself is willing to wait so that He may show you mercy?
• What might it look like for you to consciously join God’s waiting—rather than rushing ahead out of fear or impatience?

5. Romans 8:24-25

“For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope.
For who hopes for what he already sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”
(Romans 8:24-25)

Commentary:
Paul uses “hope” and “waiting” interchangeably: to hope is to wait for the unseen promise of God.
In evangel / evangelical tradition, this shows that as Christians we are saved into a “waiting” posture — not just for our earthly blessings but for the full realization of what God has promised (glorification, redemption of creation). Our waiting is not passive but expectant perseverance. In a men’s group, this challenges us: we often want immediate results, quick fixes. Paul says waiting is built into salvation and the Christian life.

Discussion Question:

• What “unseen promise” are you holding onto — in your family, work, faith, health?
• How can you cultivate perseverance in waiting — what habits, spiritual practices help hold you steady?

Closing Reflection & Call to Action

• Waiting is not simply delaying; it is trust-filled expectancy and ready preparation.
• As men, waiting often challenges our impatience, our need to control, our desire for visible results. Yet Scripture shows waiting is the space where God builds character, renews strength, and trains faith.
• This week: pick one area in your life where you are waiting. Instead of pressing ahead in your own strength, take three concrete steps:
  1. Acknowledge to God your desire and your waiting.
  2. Choose one spiritual discipline (e.g., silent prayer, journaling, Scripture meditation) to “enter into the waiting” rather than distract from it.
  3. Share your waiting with another man in the group: ask him to pray for you and to check in next week on how the waiting is going.

Additional Questions for the Group

• What is the difference between waiting with faith and waiting with fear or resentment?
• How can men support each other in healthy waiting rather than encourage shortcuts or impulsive action?
• In what way has waiting in the past refined you, matured you, or reshaped your character?
• When might you need to ask God to reset your expectations so that waiting becomes worship rather than complaining?

May God grant you wisdom, perseverance and hope as you together explore the discipline of waiting.

“The years of waiting were not an accident… the years of ordinary trusting in the LORD… were the years God worked in Abram’s life.” (from David Guzik) 

Blessings to each of you as you wait well.