We’ve all had to wait. Whether it’s in the line at the grocery store, for the results of a test, or for something as simple as having our food ready, life is made up of periods of waiting. No one really looks forward to the wait. Our growing frustration or impatience in those small moments of wait is evidence of this. But what do we do when it is God who we’re waiting on? What happens when it is not simply a moment of stillness but a season?
We’ve heard the lie. That sneaky twisting of the truth that says, ‘waiting equates to God's absence in my life.’ A whole lie, which can lead to the fear of having to wait and the false need to acquire what we desire on our own.
But, if waiting is an inevitable season of life, perhaps the question isn’t how we get past this; rather, how do we wait well? How do we wait through the numbing pain, the loneliness, and the longings of our heart? How do we allow God to use what seems empty to do His great invisible work inside us?
Well, we can start small by recognizing the instinct to get out of the waiting season as soon as possible, forgetting to seek what God is doing in the wait. And instead of looking for the nearest exit, you can ask God questions like, what about your heart needs to shift as you wait on those things you desire? What about your mindset toward work needs to change to prepare you for when you step into a new environment? What is He revealing in the now that is preparing you for the next? What hurt, fears, expectations, attitudes, and heart problems need to be inspected? This is the place where God has our full attention and where He is able to work in us and on us for the tasks that await us.
We serve the God who works for those who wait for Him. His Word is faithful. Are we going to be a part of those few who wait patiently on the Lord?
Ways to Wait Well:
Steadfast in Prayer - Seek Him, His Will, and what He wants to do in your heart.
Remain in God’s Word - Grow confidence in who He is and what He can do.
Praise Him - He is worthy, even in the wait. Remind your heart of this truth.
Trust in His Character - He is sovereign and has control over your life, including your season of waiting.
Be Patient – Trust that He is working, and His timing is perfect.
Friend, be encouraged in your waiting. When you feel downcast, tired, hopeless, or restless, remember our joy is rooted in who He is, not in what is before you, whether that be the wait or the answered prayer. Our circumstances will always change, but He never will. Take courage. He is working on your behalf as you wait on Him.
"Since the ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him." - Isaiah 64:4
A prayer for you: Lord, the wait feels uncertain. It goes against our need to see and forces us to trust You in ways that our flesh can’t do on its own. My prayer is that this word may be an encouragement to those reading it. Would You help them to wait on You patiently, to seek You desperately, and to see Your working hand in their waiting.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Be encouraged & be blessed! 💞
