For the LORD will not cast off forever, 32 but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; 33 for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men. —Lamentations 3:31-33

Perhaps more than any other time in our generation, the world as a whole has been learning what it means to wait. As we hunker down in our homes in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic, we find ourselves waiting for many things: for churches to gather, for businesses to resume, for stimulus checks to arrive, for our favorite restaurants to open, for a vaccine to be developed. Some have waited for test results. Others have waited for reports on the health of a loved one. In some cases, the waiting has resulted in relief and joy. In some cases, the waiting has resulted in pain and sorrow.