“Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.” 

Ecclesiastes 3:16–17

This morning finds me (not so patiently) waiting for the results from Carrie’s latest brain scan—one she’s required to undergo every three months. Through the lens of my wife’s resilient and courageous battle, it occurs to me that waiting rooms are a lot like the courtrooms we find in Ecclesiastes 3. In both, you sit in a place where your fate isn’t in your hands. You can’t control the outcome, speed up the process, or negotiate the result. You can only wait—and trust that someone wiser will do what’s right.

Solomon looked around his world and saw that even in the place of justice, wickedness reigned. The courtroom—where truth should triumph—had become infected with the same corruption it was meant to correct. And that’s not so different from our experience in the waiting rooms of life, where sickness and suffering seem to play by no moral rules. Cancer comes for the child abuser and the pastor’s wife alike. Disease, tragedy, and injustice don’t respect titles, goodness, or faithfulness.

If this world were the whole story, that truth would destroy us. But Solomon whispers something hopeful: “God will judge the righteous and the wicked.” It’s not a threat—it’s a promise. It means God sees what’s hidden. Every injustice, every tear, every sleepless night spent pleading for healing or understanding—none of it escapes His notice. He will make things right, even when the timing feels unbearably long.

In the courtroom of heaven, the Righteous Judge doesn’t sit detached behind the bench. In Christ, He steps down, enters our waiting room, and sits beside us. The same Jesus who bore the full weight of judgment also bears our pain. The cross is proof that God’s justice and compassion aren’t opposites—they meet perfectly in Jesus.

So as you wait—in the hospital, in the unanswered prayer, in the injustice that feels unfixable—remember: the Judge sees you, the Savior sits with you, and in His time, all will be made right.

Reflection Questions:

1. Where in your life right now do you feel like you’re sitting in a “waiting room” that feels unjust or uncertain?
2. How does knowing that God both sees and sits with you in that place reshape the way you wait?

Jimmy Carter

Groups and Care Pastor