When Waiting Sucks

Sometimes it feels like waiting on God is just plain pointless.
What's the use, really? Sure, there are all these promises in the Bible about those who wait on the Lord, but let's face it, waiting sucks. Especially when it just plain seems like God isn't going to show up.
I know I'm not the first person to ever feel this way or to doubt God's promises (otherwise, why would there be SO many verses about waiting and trusting etc.?) Saul, the first king of Israel, struggled with this as well. Now, here was a man handpicked, anointed, and set apart by God. At the beginning of his kingly career, he prophesied, led his people to victory in battle, realigned Israel to God, and had what looked like a stellar life ahead of him. And then, somewhere he got off track. Or, to be more accurate, he got a little impatient. It's in 1 Samuel 13, that we see Saul's story take a turn for the worse.

1 Samuel 13:5-10
"The Philistines also gathered to fight against Israel...The men of Israel saw that they were in trouble because the troops were in a difficult situation. They hid in caves, thickets, among rocks, and in holes and cisterns. Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.
"Saul, however was still at Gilgal, and all his troops were gripped with fear. He waited seven days for the appointed time that Samuel had set, but Samuel didn't come to Gilgal, and the troops were deserting him. So Saul said, 'Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.' Then he offered the burnt offering.
"Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. So Saul went out to greet him, and Samuel asked, 'What have you done?'"

Let's pause, for a moment. Why is what Saul did a big deal? Why was Samuel so upset with Saul? To start, let's look at this from Saul's point of view. He's between a rock and a hard place. The Philistines are about to attack on one side, his troops are deserting him on the other; he's waiting for Samuel, who will come and help unify the troops, but Samuel hasn't shown up. So what does he do? Something's gotta be done. God's not coming through, so it's time to take things into his own hands. This is where the problem is. The fact that Saul offered the burnt offering, while appearing like he was trusting God, was actually evidence of the exact opposite. That was not his job and he knew it. He was trying to show the troops that he was in control by offering this sacrifice. If you read earlier, you'll realize that this sacrifice was supposed to be where Samuel anointed Saul again and established that his kingdom would last in the land of Israel. Samuel was supposed to anoint Saul. Saul was not supposed to anoint himself.
In a sense, God was testing Saul to see if Saul would stand firm and wait on God, even if God seemed like He was going to be late.

Habakkuk 2:3
"For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it testifies about the end and will note lie. Though it delays, wait for it, since it will certainly come and not be late."

Just because God delays His promise, doesn't mean He's late and it doesn't mean He's not coming through. It simply means His timing is not our timing. And perhaps, like Saul, He's testing us to see if we will wait, even when it seems like He's forgotten.
What are you waiting for? Have you given up hope? Have you decided that God's not coming through and to try and take matters into your own hands? Please, don't. It's never a good idea. I'm not negating personal responsibility, just saying that if God's given you a promise, hold onto that promise for dear life. Trust that He will come through. He's faithful like that. Don't make the same mistake Saul did, a mistake that eventually cost him the throne. Instead, let us declare, like David:

"Surely I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (Psalm 27:13-14)

Maybe waiting isn't such a bad thing, after all.