What I’ve learned From My Time In The Waiting

There is nothing more valuable than learning the lessons meant for us in the waiting season. This lesson summarizes some of the lessons that will help you make it through the waiting and come out even stronger.

Isaiah 64:4
From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.

Isaiah 30:15
In returning and rest you shall be saved;
in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.

When it comes to waiting, it’s inevitable, but it’s also a good thing. It’s a place to recalibrate our hearts and renew our love for the Lord. It’s a place to see how well we trust our heavenly Father. It’s a place of testing: will we try to take matters into our own hands or will we choose to trust in God’s promises instead? It’s a place for life and joy and living out God’s purpose for our lives. The waiting season was never meant to be a place of isolation and defeat. But most important, the waiting season is just that – a season that we’re going through. 

If anyone has spent time in the waiting, I have. I joke that I’m the poster child for waiting. One of the most thrilling promises I have held on to in the waiting comes from Isaiah 64:4 “From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.”

As you wait for God to act on your behalf, consider these important final lessons I’ve learned in the waiting:

1. No amount of talking to people will replace what talking to God will do. Don’t waste your time in the waiting talking to humans who can’t do anything about your waiting. Let this be your priority: don’t discuss your issues with others until you’ve talked with God about them first. When it comes to finding your rest, the only way to find it is in the presence of the Lord. True peace comes from casting all your cares on Him because He cares for you.

2. No amount of activity will replace what sitting still before God will do. Isaiah 30:15 is a strong reminder that it’s in returning and rest that we will be saved, and in quietness and trust that is our strength. One way to explain this is to recognize that no amount of filling up with stuff will satisfy me like God’s presence will do. I used to think that I could find satisfaction in the waiting by meeting my own needs. When you think about it, that’s what explains binge shopping or binge eating. We rebel in the waiting and look for ways to numb our pain. But all the activity in the world, and all the stuff in the world won’t satisfy us like the presence of the Lord will do. St. Augustine said it like this: “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in God.”

3. No amount of talking to God about the problem will replace trusting God with the problem. I’ve found that instead of praying, I often just rehash the problem out loud and call it prayer. I never actually leave my issues at the feet of Jesus. One practical way to do this is to write down your prayer to the Lord about your need, then when you finish praying it, rip up the paper to pieces as an act of faith that you have left your problem with the only one who can give you the answers you need. Let go and let God sounds like a cliché, but it’s really simply saying trust the Lord with your stuff, especially in the waiting.

So, what is it you’re waiting for? Is it a man? Is it a job? Is it a wide-open door in ministry? Is it a child or a home? Whatever it is you think you need, tell Jesus about it. Then trust Him enough to do what you need. The greatest miracle of all is not the miracle of getting what you want but of receiving what you need. 

Pretty soon your waiting will be over. Pretty soon your eyes will behold Christ’s glory completely. Pretty soon you will look back on these days of waiting with gratitude as you consider all God is doing in your life in the waiting. Pretty soon the things of this world will fade as you step into glory.

In the meantime, our goal is to become more Christ-like. So, what’s keeping you from turning your waiting into praise right now?


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