Learning to Trust God in the Waiting Season | Faith-Based Christian Encouragement

 Learning to Trust God in the Waiting Season

Waiting is hard.  It's one of the hardest parts of the Christian life.  We pray, hope, and ask God for answers.  We ask Him for direction, healing, provision, and restoration.  Then we wait.  Sometimes we wait for days, sometimes for months, and sometimes even for years for an answer to our prayers.  During those waiting seasons, we might wonder if God hears us.  Does He see us?  Does He hear us?  Is He even there at all?  Learning to trust God in the waiting season is hard, but Scripture reminds us that our waiting is not wasted when our hope is in the Lord.

Isaiah 40:31 tells us:

Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

God's timeline is not always the same as ours, but He is always faithful.  His timing is not careless.  Though He sometimes seems silent, He is still working.  God's delays are not denial.  In the waiting, God strengthens our faith, shapes our character, and teaches us to depend on Him.  

Waiting Teaches Us to Trust God's Timing

One of the hardest parts of waiting is remembering that God's timing is different from our own.  We want answers quickly.  We want doors open right now.  We want our problems solved immediately, but when we can see only one small part of a situation, God sees the whole picture.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 reminds us:

He has made everything appropriate in its time.

That verse doesn't mean everything will work out according to our schedule.  It tells us that God's timing is perfect and with purpose.  He knows what we need when we need it.   When we want to rush ahead, waiting teaches us to stop and say, "Lord, I trust you even when I don't understand."

Learning to Trust God in the Waiting Season | Christian Instagram Post

Waiting Draws Us Closer to God

A waiting season can become a time of personal spiritual growth.  When answers don't come to us right away, we can draw closer to God through prayer, Scripture, worship, and surrender.

Psalm 27:14 says:

Wait for the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord.

God doesn't have us wait for no reason.  He strengthens us while we wait.   He gives us courage for each day.  When circumstances feel uncertain, He gives us peace.  He reminds us that we do not walk through waiting seasons alone.  

Our waiting seasons are not empty spaces.  They are sacred spaces.  They are spaces where God meets us, teaches us, and grows us in our faith.

Waiting Reminds Us That God Is Still Working

The enemy will try to convince us that nothing is happening while we wait, but just because we don't see God working for a season doesn't mean he is silent and inactive.  

A few days ago, my granddaughter and I planted a butterfly garden.  She helped till the dirt.  She planted her little seeds, covered them, and watered them.  Right now, we are waiting for the flowers to grow.  Right now, she only sees the dirt, and it looks like nothing is happening, but below the dirt in spaces we cannot see, those seeds are getting ready to sprout.  Soon, we will see evidence of growth above the dirt.  Then she'll see the flowers grow tall and beautiful, attracting lots of beautiful butterflies and, hopefully, hummingbirds too.

Our spiritual lives are very much like those flower seeds.  In our waiting, God is preparing things we cannot see.  He is arranging hearts, working in circumstances, building our endurance, and protecting us from things we don't understand.

Romans 8:28 promises us that:

God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Even in the waiting, God is working for our good and His glory.

How to Trust God While You Wait

Trusting God in a waiting season doesn't mean we won't sometimes get discouraged.  It means that we must keep bringing our discouragement to God and not turn away from Him.  Here are a few simple ways we can stay grounded while we wait. 

1.  Spend time in God's Word daily.  Scripture will always remind us of what is true.

2.  Pray honestly.  God can handle our questions, our fears, and our tears.  We don't have to be stronger than we are.

3.  Remember God's past faithfulness.  We can write down all the ways He has been faithful, provided for us, answered us, guided us, and comforted us in the past.

4.  Worship in praise.  Praise shifts our focus from the enormity of our problems to the greatness of God.

5.  Do the next thing.  We don't need to sit idly while we wait.  We can obey God in the small things while trusting Him with the big things.

God is Faithful in the Waiting

God doesn't forget about us while we wait.  He hears every prayer.  He knows every burden.  He understands every heartbreak.  We might not have the answers yet, but we have the presence of the One who does.  

Lamentations 3:25 says:

The Lord is good to those who await Him,
To the person who seeks Him.

Let's keep seeking Him while we wait.  Let's keep trusting Him.  We can trust and believe that His timing is good.  His plan is wise, and His love for us remains unchanged.  

God is not wasting our waiting.  He is working in it. 

I'll leave you with a beautiful song about waiting on God's perfect timing.  It's called Flowers, by Samantha Ebert.

Learning to Trust God in the Waiting Season | Christian Pinterest Pin

God Won’t Leave You There Book Review – Christian Lessons from Joseph’s Story by Anne Graham Lotz

God Won't Leave You There:  Joseph's Story by Anne Graham Lotz and Rachel-Ruth Lotz Wright

 A personal word from the authors . . .  

"We believe you are going to be thrilled, moved, and greatly impacted by his example.  Joseph shows us that God, regardless of what life throws at us, won't leave us in the pit of hopelessness but will faithfully bring us through to confident hope in His ultimate purpose for our lives."

The introduction of God Won't Leave You There begins in much the same way a chapter of our own lives might begin.  All of our stories are filled with many chapters, some filled with fun, hope, and promise, while others are filled with sadness, heartbreak, or, in other cases, an unimaginable, unforeseen tragedy plunging us into a season we never expected and taking us down a road we would never choose to go.  

Joseph's life is a reflection of Jesus' life.  Joseph and Jesus were sent out by their fathers - Joseph to save his brothers and Jesus to save all who would believe in Him.  Both set out on a long journey, both on a path to suffering.  Joseph was elevated to a position second only to Pharaoh.  Jesus rose from the grave and ascended to the right hand of His Father.  

Our seasons of suffering make Joseph's story more personal and can lead us into a closer, deeper, more personal relationship with Jesus.  Like Joseph and like Jesus, God may allow suffering for a season, but God won't leave us there.

Chapter 1 Highlights

In moments when a sudden change knocks us off our feet, we can remember that God is never surprised by what happened.  He walks with us every step of the way.

"Where has God placed you?  Has it become intolerable or unbearable?  Could God be getting ready to move you?  Have you wondered why God placed you in a dysfunctional family?  Or in a war-torn country?  All His placements have purpose.  He is incredibly strategic, down to the smallest detail.  He has promised 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'  That was true for Joseph, and it's also true for you."

No matter where you are right now, remember that all of His placements have purpose, not just some of them, but all of them.

Have you ever regretted a decision?  I'm sure you have.  We can all think of things we would change if we could go back in time.  I wish I could take back what I said.  I wish I had not dated that person.  Or maybe you wish you had done something you didn't do.  I wish I had apologized to that person, but now it's too late.  I wish I had told that person how much I loved him before he died.  Those are just a few examples of many possibilities.  But God can use our "if only" regrets for our good and for His glory.

"But what if your 'if only' has been the very thing God used in your life to draw you to Himself, to build rich character in you, and to use you for His glory?"

If Only Regret and God’s Purpose – Christian Encouragement Quote on Faith and Character Growth

Can you think of a time when you thought a sin you committed would affect only you? I can, and I quickly learned that one sin, thought to be just a "little sin," didn't just affect me, but it negatively impacted others.

Did Joseph's brothers really think that what they did would not have an impact on others? Did Reuben think his decision to play along with his brothers wouldn't turn out badly for Joseph, himself, or his father?

"Reuben found the cistern empty and was so distraught that he tore his clothes. But his distress was limited because he and his brothers immediately devised a plan to dip Joseph's robe in goat's blood and take it to their father. They wanted to convince Jacob that Joseph had been killed by an animal. Upon hearing the brothers' story, Jacob was so heartbroken that he could not be consoled. Then Jacob tore his clothes. The brothers thought getting rid of Joseph would be the answer, but it only brought unbearable grief and pain to the whole family."

Chapter 2 Highlights

Like chapter 1, chapter 2 is filled with a lot of good meat to chew on, but the last part of the chapter stood out to me the most. This part was largely about how Joseph, even in the lowly place of prison, used what he learned while serving Potiphar to serve the prison warden while he was there.

Are you in a place you don't want to be? I think most of us have been in places we don't want to be, some for longer stretches than others. Remember the phrase, "Bloom where you are planted." Where does God have you planted right now? Even if you are planted in the middle of thorns, God can use you there.

The Bible says to "humble [ourselves] before the Lord, and He will lift [us] up."

So stay sniper-focused on the Lord. Don't settle for less than all He has for you by yielding to temptation. Don't squander this time of developing your abilities and your faith by giving in to your own desire for relief, pleasure, or a break from stress and suffering. Don't fail His test, or you will be unprepared for what comes next. Hold on to His promises. God sees the big picture and knows why He has you where you are and knows exactly when to open the prison door to a world of opportunity!

More About the Book

God is with us in the waiting. When Joseph was in prison, he thought of others when he interpreted the dreams of the baker and the cupbearer. When Jesus was on the cross, he was thinking of Mary when he asked John to take care of his mother, and he was thinking of the thief on the cross when he told him he would be with him in Paradise.

Don't waste your waiting.

In God Won't Leave You There, we are given good advice that will get us through days, months, and even years of waiting and suffering.

Have you been struggling against the cocoon, desperate to be free of its confinement? Like my mother and Joseph, we can learn and grow as much as we possibly can in our present situation, no matter how lowly or difficult it is. Every day has purpose! Be faithful right where you are planted. Serve well, look out for others, speak with kindness, work wholeheartedly, maintain joy, confess all bitterness, and trust God. He is molding you and making you into a beautiful masterpiece that He wants to use for His glory. Don't rush the process or settle for a premature escape. Yield to God's timetable, knowing it's perfect and you will be prepared for what comes next.

Book Overview

Anne and Rachel-Ruth walk readers through key events in Joseph's life:

• Betrayal by his brothers
• Time in slavery and prison
• Rise to leadership in Egypt
• Reconciliation with his family

Key Themes

God is with us in difficult circumstances.

God is actively at work even in seasons of suffering.

We grow through adversity.

Trials can shape our character and strengthen our faith.

We can trust God's plan.

God's purposes can unfold over time. The full picture is not always visible.

Forgiveness and restoration are possible.

Joseph's example teaches us that there is power in forgiveness and that broken relationships can be healed.

God won't leave you there will be particularly helpful for you if you are:

• walking through a trial or a period of uncertainty.
• looking for biblical encouragement.
• interested in a deeper understanding of Joseph's story.
• desiring to heal a broken relationship.
• looking for a faith-based perspective on hardship and perseverance.

Dig Deeper

If you have already read God Won't Leave You There, you might be interested in an additional resource, the God Won't Leave You There Bible Study Guide Plus Streaming Video: A Bible Study on the Life of Joseph.

I hope you will grab a copy of God Won't Leave You There by Anne Graham Lotz and Rachel-Ruth Lotz Wright because whatever you are facing or suffering today, you can rest assured that God won't leave you where you are.

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God Won’t Leave You There

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The tomb is empty! He is risen! Happy Easter!

 The tomb is empty!  He is risen!  Happy Easter, everyone!

The tomb is empty!  He is risen!  Happy Easter!

Sincerely,

Tina