Seasons of Waiting: Learning to Trust God in the Pause
Waiting Isn’t Easy
I’ve never really been the wait and see kind of person. Whether it’s waiting for answers, healing, or even just clarity about what God wants me to do next, waiting has always felt like silence on the other end of my prayers.
But something I’m continuing to learn in my young adulthood is that being a Christian requires waiting on the Lord… a lot of it. And the truth is, waiting isn’t just seasonal — it’s constant. There always seems to be something we’re waiting on: guidance, breakthrough, healing, or a shift in circumstances. And along the way, there are moments where discouragement feels close, and I sometimes give in to it.
“Being a Christian requires waiting on the Lord… a lot of it”
Waiting is Part of Faith
I guess I should be encouraged, because being in a season of waiting puts me in really good company.
Sarah waited on God for a child. In Genesis 12–21, God promised Abraham that nations would come from him. Yet for years, that promise looked impossible. Abraham even pointed out to God that, since he had no heir, his wealth might pass to a servant instead. I can only imagine what Sarah felt. If it were me, I’d feel devastated — like I was the wrong choice for my husband, or like I’d failed him somehow. And honestly, I understand why Sarah tried to take matters into her own hands by involving Hagar. We often read her story with judgment, but the truth is, we’re not so different. Instead of waiting, we grasp for control. I say we… but I really mean me.
And Sarah wasn’t alone. Rachel waited on God for children. Hannah prayed so fervently for a son that Eli thought she was drunk. Ruth waited for redemption and provision as a widow. Elizabeth endured years of shame before God opened her womb. Miriam waited for deliverance, Deborah for justice, and Esther for the right timing to act.
“Waiting is a thread that runs through the stories of women of faith — and through ours, too.”
Waiting in Everyday Life
For me, one of my deepest seasons of waiting was for a home.
My husband and I got married in July 2020, in a small COVID wedding. We moved into an apartment, and like most newlyweds, we dreamed: stay a couple years, save money, buy a starter home, build a family, and move forward with life. What we didn’t plan for was the housing market. Houses once worth $100k were suddenly $400k. Renting wasn’t an option either — apartment prices were starting to look like mortgages.
Four years into our apartment, the conditions grew unbearable. (Dog urine leaking through the ceiling has a way of souring even the most patient tenants.) We toured house after house, debated if we could live with broken windows or unfinished bathrooms, and I cried more times than I could count.
To me, a home meant stability. It meant space to grow a family, decorate for the seasons, plant a garden, host gatherings, and live the life I’d been dreaming of since childhood. But all I saw were closed doors. And it was heavy.
“To me, a home meant stability… But all I saw were closed doors.”
Lessons in Waiting
In that waiting, I learned something about God — things I hold onto even now, as I type this from the sunlit office of the home we finally bought in January 2025.
I learned that God keeps His promises.
“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” — Hebrews 13:5
“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him…” — Romans 8:28
God never promised me a house. But He did promise His peace. He did promise His presence. He did promise that He works all things for good.
Waiting is Constant
I’ve also learned that waiting is ongoing. Right now, I’m waiting to see if children are part of God’s plan for me. I’m waiting to see how my doula business grows. I’m waiting on financial breakthroughs and on people in my life coming to know Christ.
“Waiting is constant — and each pause is an opportunity to know God more, to learn to trust Him, and to rely fully on Him.”
God’s Presence Over Provision
I’ve discovered that His presence matters more than receiving what I want. Yes, He blessed us with a home in the end. But the real gift was Himself. Because if i had only walked away with a house, I would have missed it. Instead, I waled away with a deeper knowign of who He is, and how He has always — and always will — care for his people
“Maybe the waiting is where God whispers, I’m here I’m enough I’ve got you.”
Reflection
So maybe the waiting isn’t wasted. Maybe in the pauses, God is shaping us, teaching us, and revealing himself. What season of waiting are you in today and how can you lean into God’s presence while you wait?
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