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Peace in the Waiting 

Yesterday, we talked about finding peace in the promises of God, but it’s even more difficult when you’re in the middle of waiting on God. We’ve all been in those seasons where it seems like God is showing up for everyone but you. Maybe you don’t have that job yet. Maybe you would like to be married, but your prospects seem slimmer than ever. Or maybe you’re waiting on a child while it seems like there are pregnancy announcements every day.

Whatever you’re waiting on, know that God has not forgotten you. He is with you in the waiting. In fact, Advent and the Christmas season are built on waiting—waiting for the Prince of Peace to enter the world and rescue all humanity from sin. 

Can you imagine how long that wait must have felt? Approximately 750 years passed between the writing of the prophecy about Jesus in Isaiah 9:6 and the birth of Jesus. For centuries, people waited, uncertain when (or whether) God would actually deliver on His promises. Then He sent His Son, Jesus!

And now? We no longer have to wait for the fulfillment of our peace. Yet we still wait for His second coming, looking forward to the day when our God will make all wrongs right. 

So, in our broken world, we experience seasons of waiting. But we know that our waiting seasons are not wasted seasons. As much as we might wish to skip forward to the fulfillment of what we hope for, it’s in the middle of our waiting that we realize who we worship. 

 Ask yourself: Am I more concerned about getting the thing I want than getting to know God? 

It’s a tough question, but it’s a worthy one to ask because it reveals who or what we worship. 

Now, here’s the thing: It’s okay to get frustrated and to cry out to God when you don’t understand His timing. In fact, He welcomes that. But our season of waiting isn’t just about getting the things we hope for. It’s about putting our hope and our trust in God. 

So maybe you can reframe your waiting season. Instead of focusing on the waiting, shift your thoughts to remembering—remembering who God is, all that He has already done, and what you know to be true about His character. 

If you’re struggling to find peace while you’re waiting, know this: 

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Psalm 37:23-24 NLT

God is directing your story, and every detail matters to Him. He is holding you up when things get hard. And He delights in you. 

Don’t rush through the waiting process. Instead, find peace in the process by taking the time to pause and discover what God is teaching you. So, today, reflect on these questions as you wait: 

• God, what are You showing me in this waiting? 
• How might I reclaim this waiting period for Your glory and the good of others?