In the Waiting
A Note for Weary Hearts
Have you ever grown weary of waiting as you anticipate a breakthrough, opportunity, or a long-awaited answer to your prayer request?
It’s challenging to exist in the space of the unfamiliar, the in-between.
The unknown stretches out before us. We’re ready for a new chapter, but we question when the pages will turn and how the next part of our story will unfold.
We find ourselves navigating liminal spaces as we wait.
Waiting for a door to open. Waiting for instruction. Waiting to take the next step forward. Waiting for clarity. Waiting for our plans to take shape and form into something we can recognize.
The waiting season can be a difficult, uncomfortable place.
It’s the unknowing. The uncertainty. The surrender. The wrestling.
The struggle to control the outcome when time seems to stand still.
The temptation to cling to the steering wheel instead of letting go and trusting that God will always do what is best and right.
The waiting place. We’ve all been here throughout different seasons of our lives. The struggle is real. We may become discouraged, weary, frustrated, disappointed or angry in the waiting. But on the other side of our frustration, the waiting can be a time of growth, providing teachable moments as we learn how to trust the process and lean on God for direction.
Reflection: In the waiting, I’m challenged to move beyond lip service and truly believe His promises in my heart, even when the enemy’s lies spring up, doubts whisper, and hope falters. Nagging doubts attempt to weigh me down while I wait to move into a new season. Restlessness and angst pursue me, but God’s pursuit is greater. And when I find myself holding my breath, His grace reminds me to rest and exhale. To release my worries and cling to hope. Because I am never alone in the waiting.
LITTLE BY LITTLE
God moves at a speed that always works in our favor. When the children of Israel were in the wilderness after being delivered from slavery, God told them:
“I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run. I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.”
— EXODUS 23:27-30, NIV
Although God promised them victory, He made it clear that He would take His time for their sake ( "little by little"). He knew the threats and problems they would encounter if He drove out their enemies in a short time span. He needed to build them up gradually because He knew what they could endure in that moment. He would not set His children up to fail.
We don’t always see the threats God protects us from when we’re in the waiting. He had to prepare the Israelites “little by little” until they were equipped and ready to take possession of the land. When we think God is moving too slow, He’s working things out to make sure we are prepared to take possession of everything He’s promised and prepared for us. God is intentional and strategic. We may feel our time is now, but He knows the areas in which we still need to grow before He can take us to the next level.
Reminder: We can’t expect God to open doors prematurely and put us at risk because we are tired of the waiting process.
DOING OUR PART
God never told the Israelites to sit down and stop working. He promised to prepare the way for them, but they still had to take possession. He will go ahead of us and open up doors, but it's up to us to do the work so that we can walk through them.
We must still do our part in the waiting. It can be difficult when it feels like your efforts aren't going anywhere, but don't let your frustrations during the wait hinder your will to keep going. Write the vision. Submit your work. Pursue your creative endeavors. God is still working and getting us ready for our next "Yes" even when all signs appear to lead to a dead end.
Remember to pull your weight during the wait! Don’t let your dreams die here.
During the past year, I've learned that the waiting season is not a time to get complacent or lazy. I have to be willing to work hard so that I'm ready for the path God is preparing for me. I wasn't pulling my weight during the wait yet still expecting things to magically happen. I needed to keep going even when I felt tired of waiting and I just wanted to arrive.
Looking back, I'm thankful for closed doors. Although I was initially disappointed, I now see I wasn’t ready and those opportunities were not for me. My waiting was necessary for my growth, and God prepared me for the right opportunity at the right time when I surrendered my plans. His timing. Not my own.
A reminder: God is working things out little by little behind-the-scenes. He’s shaping our character into the person He needs us to be for His purpose and plans. He’s preparing us to receive His best.
His timing is perfect. Sometimes, He moves like a gust of wind that suddenly propels us forward in our journey. Other times, He moves like a gentle breeze, refreshing us with hope when we're tired of the wait. Nudging us along to keep going. Reminding us of better things to come.
Recap: God moves at a speed that's always works in our favor. He's working things out behind-the-scenes even when the waiting season feels long. He goes before us to prepare the way, but we still must do our part. Waiting is uncomfortable, but we can trust God through our frustrations. Pull your weight during the wait. The waiting season is a time to reflect and grow. It's not a place to let your dreams die.
Prayer: God help us to see You in the waiting, Your hand at work behind-the-scenes. Thank you for protecting us from threats we cannot see and for all the ways You are preparing us even in uncertain times and hard places. Strengthen us as we wait for You to move. Let us not get weary or give up despite our feelings or circumstances. Help us to cling to hope and stand on your truth when the enemy attempts to sift our faith. Help us to trust Your process and timing over our own. May our souls remember Your faithfulness. May our hearts find rest in You in the waiting. Amen.
Weekly Prompt: Think about a time when you waited on God to move in your life. What did you learn during your experience?How did it help you to grow in your faith and personal development? How are you doing your part while God is preparing the way?
