Want to know why it is important to wait in confident expectation for god’s perfect timing? This blog post will share 7 crucial benefits of waiting on God to encourage you to wait on Him!
Does it ever seem like life is an endless waiting period? It is as if waiting is inevitable! I sometimes feel as if I’m living most of my life in the in-between. In between our current job and our dream job. In between our last failed relationship and the future forever relationship. In between God’s last manifested promise and the one for which we are waiting. If you find yourself currently in the waiting space and terrified, I pray you are encouraged by the following benefits of waiting upon the Lord.
I have often failed at waiting in the past! Sure, I made it through each wait relatively unscathed, but I can’t be sure I learned how to wait well. When waiting for my husband, I was constantly searching for the potential in prospective suitors. While waiting for the blessing of additional children, I took for granted time spent in the present with my husband and son! While waiting for the birth of my daughter, I was anxious in waiting from 37 weeks on. I am embarrassed by my constant inability to be still and wait on God.
In prayer, I asked God to help me see the benefits of waiting on Him. Through study, I have found the following advantages!
What are the benefits of waiting on God?
Our life story should be as worthy of glorifying God during the in-between periods as it is on the mountain tops. We should be examples of what it looks like to wait. Our waiting experiences show the world the benefits that come from waiting upon the Lord. The scripture tells us exactly what those benefits are. The following scriptures can remind us of the importance of waiting on god’s timing.
Waiting on the Lord Builds endurance
May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy…
Colossians 1:11
Have you ever decided you were going to start running? You lace up your shoes, turn up your tracks, head out the door, and just as you set your intention to run 2 miles, you remember that you haven’t even run to the grocery store in weeks (just me?). It is the same with the promises you may be asking for.
The promises we pray for; the career promotion, the new business, the spouse, the child, all require significant endurance to do them well. Our all-knowing Father knows our abilities, and in his grace, does not give us what we are not prepared for.
This bible verse about waiting on god’s timing encourages us in the truth that God’s plans for our lives will take endurance, but he is faithful to gift us all we need during the wait.
I think about my single journey. It was LONG ya’ll, and hard! There were many times when I believed whatever man I was dating should have been “the one”. They were not, and I am grateful because what I am learning in marriage is its WORK. It requires staying power and a whole lot of Jesus.
If God were to give me the husband I wanted before I had done the internal work that was needed while I waited upon the Lord, I may not have the staying ability I have now. God prepared my while I was waiting patiently on God.
Waiting on the lord Prepares you for the promise
…so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ…
1 Corinthians 1:7
God often makes us wait as an answer to prayers we aren’t quite ready for. At times we still have habits that are not conducive to the place we are wanting to be. Perhaps your dream position requires a level of organization that you have yet to master.
When we wait on the Lord our priorities are shifted and we begin to desire things the way he has laid out for us in the bible.
As we wait on the Lord our capacity is stretched and we can receive even greater than we could have even asked
Waiting on God protects us from danger
When we wait, we listen. When God causes us to wait he is giving us space to be able to hear his voice, undistracted by the conflicting voices which surround us. During times of waiting God is giving us a space to be encouraged and strengthened and healed by him. He is trying to hide us from the dangers that we would inevitably walk into by trying to rush the end goal.
This reason is probably why I feel a lot of grace while reading the Old Testament and seeing what the Israelite’s continually went through in their state of mind. The constant doubts due to a God’s promises being delayed and dealing with the consequences of their actions because of the doubts.
We want the promise now. We wanted the transformation now. We want to stop waiting on God and to move to the next level right away!
We don’t often see that in giving us a prolonged rest period, God’s goodness is found in the waiting through both protecting us and placing us in a space of preparation; where he can prune us to prepare us for the things that he has planned for our life. For the life that he wants to guide us through and to.
Waiting on God to answer our prayers allows us to know more about the character of God
Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.
Isaiah 30:18
The idea that God waits for us to be ready before giving us his gift has to be one of the characteristics that has really encouraged me recently. When I was first introduced to the idea, I didn’t really understand it.
I understood it to be that God didn’t want me to have it, which translated to me feeling like I wasn’t good enough for it(it being whatever I felt like God was withholding from me). This thought process, the idea that God would withhold anything from you is a lie, and one that the enemy loves using.
Remember, the goodness of the Lord is unquestionable.
He loves to twist our own understanding of who God is and to keep us in a state of ignorance about our heavenly Father. The bible says that God won’t withhold good things from those who love Him, the exception is as described in the verse from Isaiah above, God wants to be gracious to us.
He doesn’t want to give us anything that would keep us from him. He knows us, intimately, and he wants us to know him intimately.
He wants us to know that he wants to give us every good thing that he has for us, but as a Father, he doesn’t want to give us anything that will ultimately hurt us, or cause us to move further from him. So, he is patient with us, allowing us to mature before propelling us to the next level in this journey.
Waiting allows God to show us who we are and what we are capable of
How often do we look back at situations passed and wish we could do them over with our current mindsets? I know hindsight is 20/20. In my case, if I could just replay ONE of my bad decisions from the past, I would be golden.
At least that is the thought that crosses my mind when I reminisce over times past. I wish I could have a do over, but I am learning to see the situations from the past in a different light.
Instead of seeing the bad through my eyes of regret and frustration, I pray to see it through Gods eyes, asking for his wisdom. It’s amazing how much He reveals to me by simply taking this approach. I’m able to see life through his lens and see just how perfect my imperfect past has been.
You begin to see the spaces where he grew you, where he perfected your mindsets, and healed your heart. You start to see how he was preparing you to be everything you would need to be for the promise. This makes the waiting easier as you begin embracing the current season as a space for growth with the Father.
Waiting assures us of what we are saying yes to
Another one of the benefits of waiting upon the Lord is surety of what we are agreeing to.
When I first felt the leading of the call towards writing I could not see past the spotty funding and my lacking vocabulary. I couldn’t imagine writing anything honestly. I couldn’t see how I could support myself, I didn’t see the fullness of the path, I just knew I felt lead to write. Lead to write that is, with nothing to write about.
I honestly wasn’t even thinking of writing to a Christian audience. As a matter of fact, I tried several blogs before this one came about. There was a cooking one, a traveling one, a potential dating one. I had lots of “faith jumps” but not in the direction that God wanted me to go.
When we try to walk ahead of God, the passion that drives that thing eventually runs out. We end up running out of steam and looking towards the nest thing. The moment we press into God and seek his guidance and direction, we begin to see the pathways unfold. We start to see a clearer picture of what we have said yes to in the first place.
When we wait on the Lord we have time to rest
…but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31
The last benefit of waiting upon the Lord is by far my favorite! As we wait well and press into the giver with daily prayer and bible study our hearts are expanded as we get to know God more.
Waiting well involves our intentional determination to find purpose in the everyday parts of our life. Waiting on God allows us to break the cycle of striving and gain the sweet rest that God so wants us to have.
As we continue to wait and focus on our God and not on our blessings, we can set our hearts in a place of gratitude. When we rest, our mind stops roaming on the millions of things that need to be done and simply exist. The mind that is allowed to rest and then can rest in the Lord is powerful indeed!
Additional Bible Verses about God’s Timing
Can you trust God’s timing? Well I am sure we all know that we SHOULD answer with a confident YES! The issue is when we are called to be patient and wait, the confidence while present at the beginning, can have a tendency to wane.
When we need encouragement, the best thing we can do is to go to scriptures. There is an answer in God’s word for everything! Studying a few verses about God’s timing can help you teach you how to wait patiently on God, through increasing your faith and trust.
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
1 Peter 3:9
We must first remember that if God has made a promise (and he made thousands in the bible) he is faithful to fulfil that promise. We must also remember, that he is all knowing, merciful, and gracious.
He will not give us anything, that will cause us to stumble. We can find peace in the pauses of God’s plan, knowing that if he is waiting to fulfill the promise his mercy is present in our lives as he waits for our maturity, all for our salvation.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9
I love scriptures that remind us of planting and harvest. The mental picture they give of the message God is trying to share with us is always so perfect. When we wait, it can be so easy to grow weary, to become lax in our watching and waiting. When it is hard to be patient and wait we can start falling back into old habits.
If we remember the idea of harvest, and that it takes work during the planting and growing season to reap the harvest, we can be encouraged during the season of waiting on god’s timing.
For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.
Habukkuk 2:3
God’s plans are perfectly aligned with the timing that only he sees. God knows the beginning, the end, and everything in between. He knows when we are ready for next level movement, he knows when our hearts are prepared. He knows the lessons we need and the time to grow we need. The Lord knows us, completely. His timing is perfect because he is everywhere and all knowing!
Our God’s plans are perfect. We only need to trust them and believe that there are benefits to waiting on the Lord.
How do you patiently wait on God?
While awaiting each promise, we should be a willing vessel for the present moment. The promises we are praying for have little to do with us and everything to do with God’s glory and advancing the Kingdom of God.
Instead of waiting on the lord and focusing on the benefits that each promise will be to us, we should seek to see the blessing we can be to the promise. We must be open to seeing how big of an impact we can allow each present moment to be. We must be aware that each moment of our present waiting season prepares us to be the best version of ourselves in the future.
Does Waiting on God mean do nothing?
Absolutely not! Waiting on the Lord is one of the hardest things we can do, because it often feels like we are helpless. It may even feel like life is happening around us, others are seeing their God sized dreams.
Time may seem to be moving on around But waiting is actually an active command. Some things that you can do while waiting include:
- Focus on quiet time with God
- Learn more about your purpose
- Spend time serving others
- Set goals for the steps you do know now
Practical steps you can take while waiting well on the Lord
It’s easy to say, wait on the Lord, but when it comes to the practicality and the daily practice of doing it, it can be hard. Especially when the thing you are waiting for is one of your greatest dreams or heart’s desires! Here are a few practical things you can do today to wait on the Lord.
1. Study your bible and meditate on the word of God. Waiting on God is hard, but what I have found is that its immensely easier when I spend the time getting to know God more.
The pause of waiting for God to move on a situation or circumstance can be understood more easily if we get to know him during it. Sometimes we may find that much of the purpose of the wait was to press into God. It was a moment when he gives us direct access and undistracted time to spend with him. Using it wisely is so beneficial!
2. Create a Prayer Journal to document your prayers. This not only gives you an opportunity to spend more quiet time with the Lord but it also becomes a book of your testimony.
It becomes a place where you can right specific examples of God’s Faithfulness in your life. Re-reading these prayers then becomes a way to increase and encourage your faith while you wait for God to answer.
3. Simplify your surroundings and lifestyle. Waiting on the Lord to move in your life is a pause. It is a place in your life when you get a break, like a semi-colon. This is an excellent time to get to work on removing distractions and busyness in your life.
It is the thing that I wish I had taken more seriously in my single season. Had I taken advantage of clearing the clutter (both physical and mental) while waiting, I may have avoided some of the issues that emerged once I received the promise I waited for.
Can you trust that God’s timing is perfect?
I know that waiting is hard. I pride myself on being transparent and I am sure I will be a terrible waiter. My patience ebbs and flows nearly by the minute. There is a light to this.
When I remember that the journey is PART of the promise, it makes the waiting easier. We must remember that we are walking this journey with God, it is not something he’s subjecting us to. Knowing this allows us to position ourselves to live a fulfilled contented life! God’s timing is perfect and his answer to your prayer will come right on time.
We serve a God found in the whispers as well as the waves! During this season where I am waiting for God’s direction, I am grateful for his enduring grace to try to be a notable example of waiting well.
Are you waiting on God to answer a particular prayer or see the manifestation of a promise! Share your heart with us below so we can pray alongside you!
Oooo great perspective shift! I love what you said that the promises have little to do with us and everything to do with advancing the kingdom of God. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you! It definitely makes me step back when I remember this!!
Love this bit especially:
“We serve a God found in the whispers as well as the waves!”
This post reminds me of a poem I wrote while feeling the way you described in the post. Thanks for reminding us that the period of waiting is not wasted and God is with us whether we feel we are moving fast or marking time. ❤
Thank you so much for the encouragement! I have placed it on my home page for easy access. Praise God for His patience towards us while we are maturing through His Word. I am enjoying the rest and seeking God’s purpose, especially the purging of my heart. Blessings to you and your family.
Praise God for your life! I love everything you have written there. Indeed, let God be the anchor of our life. May God’s favor be upon you and your family!:)
Amen! Thank you so very much!!! Blessings to you as well!!
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As I begin to read this I got so excited, I fell on my knees and prayed the same prayed show me the benefits of waiting the lord. and I added a prayer based on John 10:4&5 KJV 4. and when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5. and a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not his voice of a strangers. Those two verses about About Jesus the Good Sheperd. This is a we get closer to God our Heavenly Father. Thank you for helping me to do just that. we must put out trust totally on him. As I teaching my family not only by giving them Godly advice, but also by example. Thank for letting the Lord use you. God bless you and your family.
Andrea, thank you so much for sharing this encouragement! You are so right, we must put our whole trust in the Lord and trust without a doubt that he will guide us along the best plans for our lives! Praying for you sweet sister!!
I completely agree with what you have written. I hope this post could reach more people as this was truly an interesting post.
Thank you for putting this out there. I agree with your opinion and I hope more people would come to agree with this as well.
Thank you so much for this beautiful message..I was invigorated while reading it..
God bless you
Hi. Thank you so much for this message. I am so encouraged. I am waiting for my house as God promised me in the past 9years and I believe He is preparing me as you are mentioning it. Previously I use to panic and thought God left me and started to doubt Him. But as I read His Word I get strength. Thank you.