Seasons of Waiting
Claudia Graf
MA, LPC
September 1, 2024
Do you find yourself in a season of waiting right now? Maybe you are hoping for a promotion, praying for healing, looking to find love, praying for a baby, begging God to draw a relative to himself or to improve your marriage, and waiting for God to intervene in what might seem like a hopeless situation. Sometimes in our lives, when dreams have not come true yet, God seems to be silent and distant, and we feel stuck. It is easy to start feeling overlooked, hopeless, and defeated when you have not seen your miracle yet.
I want to encourage you today to hold on to hope! Just because your breakthrough has not happened yet does not mean that it will never happen or that God is ignoring you. That is what faith is all about - to trust even though we might not see what God is doing behind the scenes. God often uses times of waiting to do great work in us. How are you waiting? Are you getting angry at God and turning away from him, or are you drawing closer to his heart during times of disappointment? The writer of Psalm 13 was frustrated with God, thinking that God had forgotten him. As he came into God’s presence and cried out for answers, he encountered God’s unfailing love and goodness toward him and was encouraged.
God has not forgotten you. He is still there; he sees you and cares, even though you might be going through a dark valley right now (Psalm 23:4). Bring your worries, sorrows, and unanswered prayers to him. Keep your eyes focused on Him and His promises (Hebrews 12:2). Let God prepare, shape, and refine you into the man or woman you need to be to receive the gifts and blessings he has for you. Make good and wise decisions today that get you where you want to be in the future. Every day counts and is a gift, full of opportunities to learn, grow, and love God and others well.
Remember that this is only a season, not your entire story. God has a good plan for your life! He hears conversations we don’t, sees circumstances and situations we are unaware of, has the big picture in mind, and his timing is perfect. He promised to work all things for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28). So, don’t lose hope, and don’t stop praying, believing, and trusting God. Bring all your worries to him; he will take care of you (1 Peter 5:7), and he might even surpass your wildest dreams (Ephesians 3:20).