Have you ever had to wait for something? I know I have. Waiting is hard, especially in our culture. We want what we want whenever we want it. Unfortunately, that is not how God works. In this past season, I have had to wait on a lot. My husband is in the Army, and he is getting deployed for 10 months.
We have known that this deployment is coming for almost a year now, and the anticipation of it has not been fun. On top of that, there are so many logistics that have to be worked out before he leaves including where I am going to live and what I am going to do while he is gone. I have wanted to control every little thing and establish a plan immediately. Lastly, more than anything, I want to be a mother, but I have to wait on my husband to return to try and start a family. So much waiting! Even though I am still learning, God has revealed so much of Himself to me in the waiting and I have learned to grow more dependent on Him. God has also reminded me over and over again that He is in control and He will reveal next steps in His timing.
God Is Working In The Waiting
Currently, I am reading Acts with my bible study. In the beginning of Acts, Jesus told the apostles to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:4 says, “He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.” The apostles did not know exactly what was coming with the promise of The Spirit; however, because they trusted Jesus, they obeyed Him and waited.
Little did they know that the filling of the Holy Spirit would be life changing! This story reminds me that God is always working in the waiting, and His plans are far greater than mine.
Five Things God Has Taught Me About Waiting
God is in control. God is God, and I am not. I try and try to be god over my own life, but God never fails to remind me that He is the one on the throne. He has gone before me in everything, and I do not have to worry because He is the writer of my story. Praise God for this! Matthew 6:25-27 says, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”
God hears my prayers. I have prayed the same prayers over and over again with no answers from God. Does He hear me? Is He listening? Even if I do not receive the answers that I want in my timing, I am confident that He hears my prayers. There are so many stories of waiting in the bible, but I am reminded of Hannah waiting for a baby. 1 Samuel 1:10 says, “Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord.” Even though the Lord eventually gave Hannah a child, it was in His timing. During the waiting season, all Hannah had to do was trust in the Lord and pour out her soul to Him.
My dependence is on God. It is a freeing thought to know that I do not have to do this life all on my own. That is why God wants me to be in relationship with Him. Praise God that He sent His son, Jesus, to die for my sins so that I have direct access to God. My counselor recently asked me if I have fully surrendered the logistics of deployment to the Lord. She told me that it is a constant surrender, day after day, and said “don’t pick it back up” even though I may be tempted too. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Waiting is never for nothing. Above all else, God is always working in the waiting. Whether He wants to teach me something, grow my trust and dependence on Him, or change me, our waiting is not meaningless. God knows what we need, and if he wants us to wait, it is always for our good and His glory. Psalm 130:5-6 says, “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word, I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.”
Longing for Christ’s return. Because of sin, this world is not what God intended it to be. Even if God never answers our prayers on this side of Heaven, we can hope in what is to come! God promised that if we trust and believe in Him, we will have eternal life. There is a place being prepared for us today, and the Lord is making all things new. Until then, we will wait for His return.
Begin Working With A Therapist in Marietta, GA
If you are going through a hard time and need counseling, please consider reaching out to a qualified therapist. Our team of caring therapists would be honored to offer support with in-person and online services from our Marietta, GA-based practice. You can start your therapy journey by following these simple steps:
Reach out to talk to a Marietta therapist.
Have your first appointment at Remain Connected.
Learn how to trust God in the waiting.
Other Services Offered at Remain Connected Counseling
Our team knows you may experience more than seasons of waiting. This is why we are happy to offer a variety of services including teen therapy, anxiety treatment, and EMDR therapy. In addition, we also offer life transitions therapy and depression counseling, and more all under a Christian counseling lens. By using online therapy, these services are available to anyone in Georgia. Learn more about our team of dedicated therapists and contact us for more information.
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