Embracing the Journey: Faith in the Waiting

Life rarely moves in a straight line, especially when walking by faith. David, in Psalm 37:7, writes from a place of seasoned wisdom, having seen both triumphs and failures, and yet always finding God faithful. The journey of faith is often circular, not linear—God leads us in roundabout ways, much like the Israelites in the wilderness or the winding path to Stonehenge through a maze of roundabouts. These detours and delays are not evidence of God’s absence or our failure, but rather the very process by which God shapes our character and prepares us for what He has promised.

Waiting on God is not passive. The Hebrew word for “wait” in Psalm 37:7 means to whirl, to tremble, even to writhe as in childbirth. It’s an active, sometimes agonizing process, where life feels like a spin cycle—agitated, disoriented, and out of control. Yet, just as a washing machine’s spin cycle removes the grime, God uses these seasons to refine us, to “defuncify” us, and to prepare us for the new life He wants to birth through us.

The key in these seasons is focus. Like a diver spinning through the air, the only way to land well is to keep your eyes fixed on the destination. Paul pressed on toward the prize, and Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him. When everything is spinning, focus on the unchanging One. Don’t compare your journey to others—comparison pollutes the waiting and leads to fretting. God’s path for each of us is unique, and what looks like a shortcut for someone else may end in loss, while those who wait on the Lord will inherit the land.

God is not committed to our comfort, but to our wholeness. The waiting room is a birthing room; what begins with trembling ends with new life. If we persevere, refusing to short-circuit the process or be discouraged by delay, we will come out not just surviving, but carrying the promise God has placed within us. The spin cycle is not the end—it is the labor before delivery. What God births in us through waiting will always be greater than what we could have seized by rushing.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s Guidance Is Often Circular, Not Linear God rarely leads us in a straight line from promise to fulfillment. Like the Israelites, we may find ourselves going in circles, but these roundabout ways are God’s design to develop our character and deepen our trust. The apparent detours are not mistakes, but the very path God uses to prepare us for what He has prepared for us. [03:55]
• 2. Waiting on God Is an Active, Painful Process The biblical concept of waiting is not passive; it’s a churning, sometimes agonizing experience, like the writhing of childbirth. In these seasons, life feels unstable and disorienting, but this is not a sign of failure. Rather, it is the necessary process by which God removes what would hinder us and prepares us for new life. [09:24]
• 3. Focus Is the Key to Enduring the Spin Cycle When everything in life is spinning, the only way to endure is to keep your eyes fixed on God and the destination He has set before you. Losing focus leads to mistakes, discouragement, and comparison. But by anchoring your attention on Christ, you can move forward in faith, regardless of how chaotic your circumstances appear. [16:21]
• 4. Comparison Pollutes the Waiting and Breeds Fretfulness Looking at others and measuring your journey by theirs leads to frustration and discouragement. God’s call is unique for each person, and comparison either makes us feel inferior or superior—both are self-delusion. True rest comes from focusing on God, not on the apparent progress or prosperity of others. [24:45]
• 5. The Purpose of Waiting Is Birth, Not Delay God does not delight in our agony, but He is committed to bringing forth something new in us through the process. The waiting room is a birthing room; what begins with trembling ends with new life. If we persevere and refuse to short-circuit the process, we will emerge not just whole, but carrying the promise God intended for us all along. [33:14]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:50] - David’s Wisdom: Lessons from a Lifetime
• [01:43] - God’s Faithfulness Through Mistakes
• [02:37] - Linear Thinking vs. God’s Circular Ways
• [03:55] - The Roundabout: God’s Unconventional Guidance
• [05:43] - The Spin Cycle: When Life Feels Out of Control
• [09:24] - The True Meaning of Waiting
• [10:42] - Three Key Words: Rest, Wait, Fret
• [11:26] - The Agony and Purpose of the Spin Cycle
• [16:21] - The Power of Focus in the Spin
• [17:54] - Fixing Your Eyes on the Prize
• [19:42] - Character Over Comfort: God’s Ultimate Goal
• [20:52] - Trusting God in the Waiting Room
• [24:45] - The Danger of Comparison
• [27:05] - Keep Moving by Faith
• [33:14] - The Birthing Room: Purpose in the Wait
• [39:13] - The Joy of Receiving the Promise
• [40:41] - The Spin Is Not the End
• [41:07] - Greater Through Waiting, Not Rushing

Bible Reading

Psalm 37:7 (ESV) — > Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

Observation Questions

1. In Psalm 37:7, what three actions or attitudes does David mention? (rest, wait patiently, do not fret)
2. According to the sermon, what does the Hebrew word for “wait” in Psalm 37:7 actually mean? [09:24]
3. What example from the Old Testament did the pastor use to show that God often leads in roundabout ways instead of straight lines? [03:55]
4. What does David warn us not to do when we see others prospering in their own way? [24:45]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why might God choose to lead us in a “roundabout” way instead of a straight path from promise to fulfillment? [03:55]
2. How does the biblical idea of “waiting” challenge our usual understanding of patience and passivity? [09:24]
3. According to the sermon, what is the danger of comparing our journey to someone else’s, especially during seasons of waiting? [24:45]
4. What does it mean that “the waiting room is a birthing room,” and how does this change the way we view difficult or delayed seasons in our lives? [33:14]

Application Questions

1. The pastor said that God is more interested in our wholeness than our comfort. Can you think of a time when God used a difficult or confusing season to shape your character? How did you respond in that season? [19:42]
2. When life feels like a “spin cycle”—agitated, disoriented, and out of control—what are some practical ways you can keep your focus on God instead of your circumstances? [16:21]
3. The sermon warned against comparing our journey to others, saying that “comparison pollutes the waiting.” Are there specific people or situations you tend to compare yourself to? How does this affect your attitude or faith? [24:45]
4. The pastor described waiting as an active, sometimes agonizing process, like the pain of childbirth. What does “active waiting” look like for you? Is there an area of your life where you need to persevere rather than look for a shortcut? [09:24]
5. The message said, “What God births in you through waiting will always be greater than what you could have seized by rushing.” Is there something you are tempted to rush right now? What would it look like to trust God’s timing instead? [41:07]
6. The pastor shared a story about being insulted and rejected, but choosing to keep moving by faith. Have you ever faced discouragement or criticism while following God? How did you keep going, or what would you do differently now? [36:16]
7. If “resting in the Lord” is more about focus than inactivity, what is one distraction you need to set aside this week to better focus on God’s promises for you? [10:42]