By Lekeisha Ford
For many of us, some of the hardest seasons of life are those in which we have to wait. Proverbs 13:12 says, “hope deferred makes the heart sick.” If I’m honest, even though I know God has a greater plan for my life, and His ways are always better than anything I could ever imagine, waiting for the things your heart longs for can, at times, can make you feel like God has forgotten about you and that your dreams may never happen. Yet, in faith, we still must wait for:
A godly mate.
Your business to kick off.
A relationship to be reconciled.
A new career opportunity.
However, seasons of waiting shouldn’t be times when we’re just sitting around, rather we should be actively waiting. But what does that practically look like? What should we do when God is calling us to wait on His direction, His timing and His voice? As I thought about it a little deeper, a few things came to mind that gave waiting new meaning to me. And I‘m hoping it does the same for you.
Water yourself in the word. Our seasons of waiting are a perfect time to immerse ourselves in God’s word and learn about Him in more intimate ways through Scripture. The word allows God to align our hearts with His desires and increase our capacity to discern His voice and His promises to carry us through.
Anchor your soul in hope. During seasons of waiting, it’s easy for discouragement to creep in. Which is why we need an anchor to keep us stable. An anchor is used to steady an object to keep it from drifting. Periods of waiting can bring about a wave of emotions that we didn’t see coming, leading into a sea of hopelessness. The only anchor strong enough to handle those emotions is Jesus. (Hebrews 6:18-19)
Ignore the temptation to give in. It’s easy when we’re in a season of waiting to want to throw in the towel. Our minds can play tricks on us and the lure of taking matters into our own hands or slipping back into old patterns will start to look appealing. Resist those temptations. Stay focused while you wait, my love. It’s worth it.
Trust-last but not least continue to trust the Lord. The longer we have to wait, the easier it becomes to start to doubt what we once had complete confidence in. We know that God spoke a word to our hearts, but as each day goes by without seeing any evidence-that assurance scale seems to drop lower and lower. If we don't fully continue to trust God during the waiting season, it can lead us to take matters in our hands-which is rarely ever a good idea. It's tough but keeping believing. He hasn’t forgotten you!
If you find yourself struggling in a season of waiting, know that you are not alone. Let’s remember and encourage others, to not allow this time to pass us by, missing out on what God could be teaching us in these moments. My prayer for you is that as you’ve read this, your heart is encouraged to W.A.I.T differently in expectation that our Father will always be faithful to His promises over our lives.
Wait for the LORD, my dear sister. Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD
Psalm 27:14
About the Author:
Lekeisha Ford is a blogger and founder of The Narrow Way. Her heart is to see to women transformed from the inside out as they encounter the love of Christ. Follow her journey on Instagram @_thenarrowway
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