How Long, O Lord?

“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” – Psalm 13:1(ESV). 

Is it just me—or does God sometimes feel slow when we need Him to move fast?  

Perhaps I’ve become too comfortable with expecting quick solutions. After all, today’s tech-driven world doesn’t just offer convenience—it has conditioned us to expect instant results. 

• Search engines give answers in seconds—who needs to dig through books when Google, YouTube, or ChatGPT are right here?
• Delivery apps let us skip the lines and even the kitchen.
• Next-day shipping, streaming services, telehealth, and GPS apps remove nearly every form of delay or uncertainty. 
• Communication and banking? Instant. Global. Always on.

All of this has trained us to be allergic to waiting—and I’ll admit, I’ve caught the bug. Technology trains us to expect immediate results! 

But God’s work in us? It unfolds slowly—on purpose.

 No wonder I struggle. I live in a world built for speed—but I follow a God who works in seasons, not seconds. Somehow, I resonate with the Psalmist’s cry: “How long, O Lord?” 

Is it just me? Or do others find themselves asking God the same rhetorical questions? Why are you so slow in answering my prayer? How much longer must I wait? Have you lost sight of me? Do you not hear me? 

The typical answer I receive from well-meaning friends when I bemoan my waiting time is, “Waiting teaches us patience.” Yes, that’s true. I know this. But there must be more than just teaching me endurance. God is interested in more than me being patient. 

I’ve come to believe that seasons of waiting—when our questions outnumber our answers—aren’t wasted. They’re holy ground, where God does deep, unseen work. 

Here’s what I’m learning about waiting:

• Reveals whether I truly trust God’s timing more than my own.
• Requires me to lean into His promises instead of relying on my plans.
• Builds faith as I believe He’s working—even when I see no evidence.
• Deepens my prayer life, stirring me to seek His voice, purpose, and presence.
• Sharpens my discernment, showing me how to recognize God’s movement when I slow down.
• Shapes my character through active perseverance, grit, and staying power.
• Humbles me by reminding me I’m not in control—and teaching me to depend on His wisdom.
• Tests my obedience and faithfulness, especially in the silence of delay.
• Matures my emotions by helping me manage frustration and live with tension rather than escape it.
• Shifts my focus from “what’s next” to “what is,” producing contentment and gratitude.
• Offers me supernatural peace—not from answers, but from His presence.

Is it possible that God hasn’t forgotten us? Maybe this season of waiting isn’t wasted time at all. It’s conceivable that God is present to offer us peace in our season of waiting—transforming areas in our lives for good.

So, today, my question— “How long, O Lord?”—is no longer fueled by frustration. It’s an open-handed prayer, trusting that God is at work in the waiting, shaping me in ways I can’t yet see. 

Reflection

• Where in your life are you most resistant to waiting—and what might God be forming in that space?
• How has your desire for quick solutions shaped how you relate to God?
• What would it look like to embrace your current waiting season as “holy ground”?