No one likes to wait. It is contrary to our human nature to be patient, to put others first, and even to be left out of the loop.
If you are wondering if it’s normal to struggle through “waiting on the Lord” you are not alone.
It can be stressful at times to have no clue what God has planned.
If we are to treat God like a friend that we talk to on a daily basis, then it only seems fair to expect an immediate response after prayer.
But, as with all things, what we have in mind cannot compare to what God has in store.
“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;”
Learning to find peace while waiting on the Lord is not something that can happen overnight.
Everyone has a hard time at first. No one was born knowing how to ride a bike. In fact, you might have started with training wheels.
This is why we look towards scripture for examples of how and why to wait on the Lord.
What does it mean to wait on the Lord?
“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” .
The answer is this: to wait on the Lord is to have faith and hope, while patiently waiting.
It isn’t just having faith or just having hope.
It is the belief, the thought, and action of knowing that God’s plan is good and will prosper, no matter what that means for you.
By waiting on the Lord we are placing all trust in Him regardless of the result.
In fact, what He provides is newness of mind, strength in spirit, and the promise of eternal life.
How to deal with doubt while waiting on the Lord?
“I remain confident of this: 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.”
Patience may be a virtue, but it doesn’t come easy at first.
It takes perseverance and a steadfast heart to wait on the Lord. Doubt will definitely creep in.
What matters is that you choose to be strong and stand firm.
How do you know if God is making you wait?
Sometimes what God wants you to do or has planned for you isn’t always clear.
If you are waiting on things that involve other people like a promotion, or a friend to call you back, or perhaps the love of your life to pop the question, then you are waiting on the wrong thing.
Our Heavenly Father is God of all things. He is not a fairy godmother that will grant your entire wish list.
What probably hurts the most, is the answer will oftentimes be “no.”
So if it seems like it’s been a long time since God has given you an answer or a sign: WAIT.
If it seems like a door is closing and you might not be getting the thing you hoped for: WAIT.
What are the benefits of waiting on god?
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
As Christians, we are not called to live an easy life. Our journey is filled with suffering.
However, that isn’t to say that there won’t be rewards along the way.
In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he says we will have perseverance, character, and hope.
You might have heard the saying, “the real prize is the journey,” but that doesn’t begin to describe the profoundness of the hope we have in Jesus.
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”
All of the wonderful things that God has promised will be unveiled in their own time. But, the greatest gift has already been given: salvation in Jesus Christ.
What to do when waiting on the Lord?
We have already talked so much about waiting on the Lord and why to do so, but not a lot about what that really looks like in our daily lives.
Here are some examples from the Bible that show us how to wait on the Lord.
Connect With God Through Prayer and Bible Study
“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”
Seek God daily with prayer and Bible study.
This is the only way to communicate with Him. Pray to God through Jesus Christ and your prayers will be heard and answered.
Even if you have received the answers you wait for, and even if your answer is no, continue in this open line of communication.
Spend Time with the People That Support You
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Humanity was created to be social. We literally need each other physically and spiritually.
This is God’s design. Just as much as God wants us to pray and seek Him, we are also instructed to be present for one another and carry one another.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
If you are only spending time thinking about your own problems, your own prayers, and your own desires, then you are missing the purpose of fellowship entirely.
Spend time finding ways to reach out to a neighbor and to be a part of your community.
Placing others above yourself will open new doors, new possibilities, and is scientifically proven to relieve stress and anxiety.
It only goes to show that God knew what he was doing when He created us.
Take Care of Your Physical and Mental Health while you wait
“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.”
Waiting for the Lord does not look like lying on the couch doing nothing on a Saturday morning.
It doesn’t look like quitting your job and squandering your money because the end is coming anyways.
It also doesn’t look like ignoring bills, good hygiene, and phone calls from friends and family. Waiting on the Lord includes taking care of yourself and your responsibilities.
A farmer’s crops don’t just come from nowhere: he first has to prepare the grounds and sow the seeds.
Have you prepared your ground and planted your seeds?
Without that step, when the rains finally do come, there will be nothing there to grow.
Try to remain positive and let go of negative emotions.
“We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.”
Yes, waiting can be hard. Yes, waiting can hurt. However, we are called to rejoice.
That means, no matter what might happen we are to praise Him and trust in His promise.
His love is unfailing. Let’s dwell on the joy and peace that he has given rather than the worries that creep in and cloud His goodness.
examples of waiting on God in the bible
Joseph
“Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.”
Joseph was not only sold by his older brothers into slavery, he was also imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit.
He faced many trials and was tempted along the way, but in the end his prize was that he was seen as a ruler over Egypt.
David
“David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.”
Probably one of the most memorable figures of Biblical history, King David is known as “a man after God’s own heart.”
No matter how many mistakes he made, or how far he fell away, David always turned his heart back to God.
Esther
“All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”
Queen Esther was faced with a challenge: she could have easily chosen to keep her mouth shut, play her part, and let others take the fall.
But, when she realized that King Xerxes’ advisor sought to destroy her people, she made the decision to tell her husband the truth at the risk of her own life.
Only God’s plan could have led her to the strategic and clever way she saved her people.
Living in Peace
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
God’s ways do not match up with human nature that’s why He “transcends all understanding.”
It’s counterintuitive to put all of your trust into something you don’t see with your human eyes.
However, faith is believing in what you cannot see, and that is the beginning to living in peace while also waiting for His plan to work in your life.
I wear many hats; Wife, Mom, Minister, Blogger and Entrepreneur.
It’s not easy juggling everything but with the Grace of God, I can do all things!
My plate is full but my cup runneth over!!
Wonderful post! Waiting on the Lord can be hard but it grows us in such a great way. Great advice about trying to stay positive while waiting. Thank you!
Finding patience while waiting on the Lord is one of the hardest things! My mom has always told me that God will teach us patience and it’s one of the hardest lessons. I believe her, but finally seeing the Lord move and work in your life makes it all worth it!
I think patience while waiting on the Lord could be one of the very hardest things we have to do as a Christian. In a world of instant gratification it can be so hard to be patient. You provided some awesome tips to help with this. Thank you!
This is inspiring and we need to practice to wait for the lord. Thank you for sharing examples in the bible as well.
Great post! Thanks for sharing!
Waiting can be so difficult, but you offer such great advice. You’re right! There are so many examples of people who had to wait in the bible!
Beautiful post sweet friend! Learning to wait on the Lord and set my hopes only in Him was one of the hardest things to learn. It is an ongoing practice to remain calm and trust in Him when I have no idea what He is up to. But I do know this … my God is good, He only wants His best for me, and what He has planned is more than I could ever imagine! 🙏💕