What are we talking about today?
We all have seasons of waiting for God to act – but sometimes it is far more intense, important, and emotionally difficult. So how do we wait well? That’s our conversation today.
My goal in today’s episode is that you will walk away feeling encouraged and strengthened in your season of waiting, with tangible action steps to help you wait well, and love your people well even during the difficult emotions that come with long seasons of waiting.
Let’s dive in.
Listen to Episode 56:
[This post may contain affiliate links. If a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.]
Snag your resources here!
If today’s topic is meaningful to you, you’ll also want to check out these earlier podcast episodes that connect with this same topic:
- Episode 20 // Finding joy in the Lord during seasons of pain and sadness
- Episode 39 // Take your thoughts captive to Christ.. but how?! Let’s build our intimacy with God and strengthen our own mental health by practicing 4 key steps to controlling our thought life.
- Episode 44 // The key to happiness, intimacy, and healthy relationships: Loving your actual life and your actual people.
Let me also offer a FREE resource that I know will be helpful:
Grab a copy of my FREE Holy Habits: 45-Day Bible & Prayer Challenge.
As you are struggling through a hard season of waiting, it will help to spend more time with God. If you struggle to spend time regularly in the Bible and prayer, you are not alone! This free resource will help you get comfortable and consistent spending time talking to God.
[This post may contain affiliate links. If a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.]
Today's Episode Highlights
Waiting is never easy. But when we are waiting for something that is incredibly important or emotional for us, it can feel almost impossible.
The spiritual discipline of waiting
First, it is helpful to acknowledge that waiting is a spiritual discipline. God uses it in our life to shape us, grow us, and He always has a purpose in our waiting.
Consider the most famous people in the Bible… they almost all had long seasons of waiting!
- Noah. Abraham. Moses. Hannah. The disciples. Paul.
- Even today, the Church is waiting for Jesus to return!
Waiting is a very common theme among God’s beloved children, and it certainly does not mean that God does not notice, care, or love you. Most of the Bible characters had to wait for years or even their entire lives, and they did not always see the full conclusion or “miracle” in their lifetime.
In waiting, we learn to rely on God. We are forced by our emotions to look for God working, to cry out to him, and to seek his presence and comfort. Ultimately, God is teaching us that He is truly enough for us.
Learning to trust God
Ultimately, God uses our seasons of waiting for purposes and plans that are beyond what we can understand. We pray desperately for our desired outcome in the situation, but we need to trust the fact that God’s plans are better than ours.
Consider this truth from Isaiah 55:8-11:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Whether it is a family issue causing you pain, a personal issue like perhaps anxiety or grief, or a church issue that is weighing on you… God sees it.
He hears your pain. He understands your struggle. And He has a plan for it.
That plan might not look like what you have in mind as you pray. But we can be confidence that plan – his plan – is the right plan.
Action steps for how to "wait well"
- Dive deep into God’s Word, his character, and his promises. Ask questions while you read – What do you learn about God’s character? Your own character? About waiting, resting, working? What are God’s priorities? What are your plans? Focus on stories of people who had to wait… Abraham, Job. Noah. Moses. Hannah. Paul.
- Give intentional time to remembering what God has already done. Read the Psalms and write your own. Make a list of ways you have seen him work in the past (even if it’s from the Bible and not your own personal life). Remember what He has done already and what He is capable of doing even now.
- Increase gratitude in your heart and on your lips. You are waiting for something very important to happen… but in the meantime, there is much to be thankful for. Gratitude lightens our load, builds our trust in God, strengthens our relationships, and reduces our anxiety and fear.
- Stand firm in the truth. Cling to God’s promises. Not sure what those are? Start in the Gospel of John. Cling also to truths about your marriage, your church, your family… whatever person or situation it is that is bringing pain.
- Purposefully love the people you are struggling with or waiting for. Engage in the relationship. Spend time with them, even when it’s hard. Pray for them and – if you can – with them.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
A final encouragement
Let’s wrap up with the encouragement to meditate on and memorize this helpful passage from 2 Corinthians 4:16-18:
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Friday Faith Follow-up
In this bonus follow-up episode, I’m sharing some of my personal story waiting through infertility for God to bring a miracle, to give us children. Here are 4 things I did to “wait well” during infertility.
Hey, before you go!
- Join us in our free, private Facebook Group! This community is all about engaging, encouraging, and equipping each other as sisters in Christ.
- Make sure you Follow or Subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss any future episodes.
- Share this episode with a friend who needs to hear it: you can text or email the link to her.
- And hey, I’d love to connect with you on Instagram! @loveyourpeoplewell
Don't miss future episodes!
Follow the show on:
A reminder of the Disclaimers & Disclosures Policy: I am an affiliate with many of the resources I recommend, which means I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through my provided links. I never recommend products I don’t love! Also, I am a licensed therapist but this podcast is not therapy. It is not professional or personal advice to your specific situation. Get info about professional counseling here.
