Contents
What helps when we are waiting on the Lord to lead us?
Hubs and I are waiting for God’s leading on a rather big life decision. No, I’m not at liberty to share about it right now. Sorry. 😉
It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a position where other things in my life are on hold, and I’m simply waiting on the Lord to reveal the next step.
Times when we wait
Sometimes, we wait while we’re doing other things. When we’re awaiting a reply or for someone’s decision. Or, in my case, waiting to hear if a publisher will be interested in my book. We keep moving forward with other aspects of our life
Or when we’re waiting for an answer regarding a medical situation. We’re making decisions about other aspects of life. We give people the time to respond, but life doesn’t pause in the interim.
Other times, we have the choice of whether we wait or charge forward into something.
And there are seasons when all we can do is wait. As in the decision Hubs and I are praying about.
What we’re doing in our wait
Hubs and I have moved slowly with this decision. We’ve taken these steps as we wait for God’s direction:
- PRAY. No surprise there, right? We have prayed and asked God for His clear leading.
- We’re not coming to Him with an agenda. Instead, we’re open to however He leads.
- We discussed non-negotiables that will help inform our final decision.
- We have talked with trusted, close family and friends to get their insights. We want to honor them, especially our sons, by hearing what they think. Some people have brought up talking points we hadn’t considered.
And we wait.
Are we still doing life? Yes. But we’re not making any big decisions until we know God’s leading in this significant one.
Will we move regarding this decision before God shows us our next step? No way.
Things we can do while waiting on the Lord
How do we wait well when waiting is all we can do?
5 Ways to Be Purposeful When Waiting on the Lord—How do we wait well when waiting is all we can do? #tellhisstory #waitingwell #waitonthelord Click To TweetRemember, God’s timing is always perfect.
Whether we’re waiting for the Lord to lead us specifically in one direction or anticipating a response to something we’ve said or done, God’s timing is always the best, even when we don’t understand.
Keep moving forward with life
As I wait for an answer about my book proposal, I’m still working. I’ve begun my next book. And I’m doing other writerly things that will only help if I receive a contract.
Be intentional in our waiting seasons.
We can be fully present in the wait. And honesty with our Father helps us to be okay with where we are. God has learning opportunities in each wait. The time spent in the delay doesn’t ever have to be squandered. We waste waiting seasons when we plow through trying to get past the wait and into the next great thing.
If we start to worry in the waiting, let’s realign our thoughts with God’s.
When anxiety starts to take over during waiting seasons, that means we’ve tried to take control of the situation. We need to recalibrate our thoughts and remind ourselves Who is in control. No, this isn’t always easy. But the reminders also help us change our thinking, which helps us in waiting times.
click to tweet
5 Ways to Be Purposeful When Waiting on the Lord—When anxiety starts to take over during waiting seasons, that means we've tried to take control of the situation. #tellhisstory #anxiety #waitonthelord Click To Tweet
Conclusion
I don’t know when God will lead us toward our next step. But waiting on the Lord’s direction in this season has held more peace and rest than I’ve experienced in a long time. There’s something freeing about having no control over the answer and trusting God while we wait for Him to reveal His best plan.
The next time we find ourselves in a waiting season, let’s choose to wait with anticipation, believing God is working behind the scenes while we wait. Let’s choose an anticipating heart-set, trusting that God is using our waiting times, even when they’re difficult.
What about you? What helps you wait well in seasons of delay? What do you do when waiting on the Lord?
Next week, we’ll link up at Donna’s at Serenity and Suffering. Be sure to bookmark this so you can find it easily. 😊
Click to Tweet
Come share your story at the Tell His Story linkup. Connect and be encouraged by like-minded friends! #tellhisstory #linkup Click To TweetMost weeks, I link up with Grace and Truth, Inspire Me Monday, Instaencouragements, and Let’s Have Coffee. Come join and read more encouraging posts!
Each week we gather here as storytellers, word weavers, and encouragers to make His name known. Our story is God’s story and this small corner of the blogging world, where we come together each Tuesday, needs you. This is a place where poetry, snapshots, prayers, and stories find a safe spot to nod in agreement that what we have to say matters. I am glad you are here and would love to have you join the #TellHisStory community. Add your own encouraging post through the link below. Spread some love by visiting your neighbor and leaving your own encouragement. Click here to read more about the #TellHisStory community and find a button to add to your site.
Very helpful reminders, Jeanne. With Linda Stoll above, I try to be mindful of God’s faithfulness in the past, to fuel my trust for the present. A looseleaf notebook-journal, kept since November 1983, helps me focus on all the ways God has provided for, protected, and guided our family (over 1400 examples so far). I can count on him to be faithful in all that he does (Psalm 33:4)–even as I wait.
Nancy, I LOVE your notebook/journal that tracks the many ways God has taken care of you over the years. What a testimony and a solid reminder that is of God’s faithfulness. I love your wisdom here. Thank you for sharing it!
Praying 2 Kings 4:26 – for God’s all-is-well plan for you and yours in the wait. I believe the most important part of living happens in the wait of a prayer sent out! It’s where God grows you into more than you were – it’s not always comfortable, but it is where God’s amazing things grow.
Maryleigh, thank you for those prayers. I think you’re right: The most important part of living happens in the wait of a prayer sent out. LOVE how you stated that. God does grow us in waiting seasons. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your wisdom here, friend.
I have been waiting on two nonfiction proposals and three children’s proposals for months. It’s an excruciating process as they make the rounds to various publishers. Like you, I don’t want to squander the time so I am pressing in and continuing to write (including a romantic suspense novel, actually). Thank you for this encouragement, friend. Praying blessings on your ministry!
Awww, friend, I know the waiting can be hard. Good for you in continuing to write. And how exciting that you’re working on a romantic suspense novel! 🙂 I look forward to hearing more about your proposals and your novel. 🙂
I could wait better. I tend to rush forward, not letting the grass get green under my feet, so to speak! I could definitely grow in trusting that I will hear God’s direction for my next steps. This week is my last week at my job, and I’m not sure what next steps to take career wise. I can fall into anxiety and worry that spurs me into action steps that might not be God’s plan. Thanks for the reminder to “recalibrate our thoughts and remind ourselves Who is in control.”
Lynn, I’ve definitely been guilty of rushing forward at times. I firmly believe that God allows waiting times in our lives, in part so we learn to trust Him more. I will pray for you as you wait for God to reveal your next career steps. May we both keep our thoughts focused on God in our respective waiting times. 🙂
Waiting is not easy and for me it’s very easy for anxiety to take hold. It’s important to remember that God knows what is best and to trust in his timing. Praying for you in this time of waiting.
Lesley, I agree. Waiting is NOT easy. I’ve struggled with anxiety in waiting times too. I so appreciate your perspective that when we remember that God knows what is best and trust His timing, it’s a little easier to walk through the wait. Thanks for your prayers, friend.
So it’s bad and so it’s worse,
and so it is the edge of night;
so it seems like one grand curse,
but I’ve not yet begun to fight.
Maybe God wants me to quit,
sending angels set in grace,
but He’s gonna have a fit
when He finds need to replace
the cherubim that came for me
with a fluttering of wings.
They’ll return with bandaged knee,
ribs wrapped tight and arms in slings
and wondering just what to do
with a bloke who is not through.
Andrew, I feel a little like a broken record. But I’m so sorry things have been so horrible for you. I’m continuing to pray for you and Barb. Sending a gentle hug, friend.
Oops, that should have said ‘as you wait for clear guidance from the Lord’.
Blessings, Jennifer
I’m so glad you’re both resting in that place of peace & rest Jeanne as though wait for clear guidance the Last
Jennifer, I’m not always good about being in a place of resting and peace in a wait. I’ve been so thankful for how God helped me do this in this waiting season. I’m so thankful our Father guides us in each season of our lives. Thanks for visiting, friend!
“God has learning opportunities in each wait.” So true! It’s just that often we don’t look for them! Waiting is inevitable. I want to do it well. I know I can trust Him; because He has never let me down.
Jerralea, you’re so right! There’ve been many times when I got caught up in the wait rather than searching for God in the middle of them and asking what lessons He has for me in the process. When we know we can trust God, waiting is easier. I love what you said about God never letting you down. I feel the same way. Thank you so much for sharing your insights here!
I’m so glad this season of waiting includes peace and rest for you, Jeanne. I’ll be praying that God will reveal His next step, in His timing. As for me, I’m relating to your words on several fronts today … praying, learning, moving forward with what I can, trusting that God will be with us, come what may.
Thank you, Lois. And thanks so much for the prayers. Praying, learning, moving forward with what we can, and trusting God…a recipe for peace. 🙂 So thankful for you, friend.
May the Lord continue to give you and your husband wisdom, Jeanne. Yes, we are in a season of waiting, and what is helping us is the intentionality of keeping our eyes on Him, drawing near to God together in prayer, then receiving and walking in His peace. We stand on His character of being Faithful and True and remembering all the times He has been faithful to lead and guide us in the past. Thankfulness helps us stay in a place of peace.
Lisa, it’s kind of nice knowing others are in a waiting season too. Your way of walking through your wait is so wise. Keeping our eyes on Jesus and drawing near to God together in prayer is so strengthening. I’m thankful God gives us His peace and helps us to walk in it. Yes, standing on the truths we have about God’s character make the wait easier to walk through. And thankfulness. Yes! Thanks for sharing how you’re walking through your wait, friend.
Jeanne, during times of waiting I usually question myself. “Why am I not clear?” Then I question God, “Don’t you know I want Your will?” In other words, “Be still and know that I am God,” doesn’t come easy for me. Having just come through a season of waiting I now see how God was moving pieces behind the scenes and He made His will clear at just the right time. May His grace blanket you in peace and grant you the grace to be still and know that He is God.
Debbie, I so appreciate your transparency. I sometimes have questioned God when I wasn’t clear on something too. And Psalm 46:10 is a daily reminder for me, but I am not always great at living it out. Your encouragement about seeing God moving pieces into place during your wait is encouraging! Thank you for your encouragement to know His grace and peace in our season of waiting, friend.
I know a lot about waiting and I wrote a book that was centered around that. But you clarified again how God is working behind the scenes in our waiting and we can wait expectantly because God’s next step will be amazing. Thank you for the reminders. I’m praying for you and your husband as you wait and listen for God’s next step.
Mary, I so appreciate your words here. I also like your perspective of trusting that God’s at work, which is why we can wait expectantly. We know His plans are always good, not necessarily easy, but always good. Thanks so much for your encouragement here, and for your prayers, friend!
Thank you so much for these reminders. Waiting can be stressful. Resting in the promises of God can bring peace. 🙂
Melissa, you’re right. Waiting can be stressful. I love your reminder to rest in the promises of God’s peace. Lots of wisdom in your words!
I’m learning to focus less on worst case scenarios and more on the memories of His faithfulness in past waiting rooms.
Linda, we really have to re-train our minds to unlearn that tendency to focus on the worst-case scenarios, don’t we? I love your solution of focusing more on memories of God’s faithfulness in past waiting rooms. A beautiful perspective, my friend!
In our “instant” and impatient society, it’s hard to wait. But we’re in good company with so many in Scripture. He’s definitely working in our waiting. Praying for grace for you all as you patiently wait for His direction. Also, I am wishing you all the best on your book proposal!
Barbara, you’re right. Many people in Scripture had to wait. God is always at work. During the waiting seasons, I just have to remember to hold onto this truth. Thank you for your prayers for our family and your encouragement with my book proposal. 🙂
Life in the in between is so hard! Praying right now for a good measure of patience and fortitude for you and your family as you wait!
Michele, I like how you put that . . . . “life in the in between.” Yes, it can be hard. Thank you for your prayers. They are much appreciated!
“The next time we find ourselves in a waiting season, let’s choose to wait with anticipation, believing God is working behind the scenes while we wait.” Waiting with anticipation is the key as this helps us to see the wait as being purposeful. Such wisdom in this reminder!
Joanne, yes! Waiting with anticipation is so important to helping us see our waits as being purposeful. I think it’s also an indicator of how well we’re trusting God . . . or not. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your insights, friend!