Parked in the Waiting Room
Hey there, friend, if you’ve ever felt like you were sittin’ on the front porch waitin’ for a breeze that refuses to blow, then you already understand Psalm 27:14, “Wait for the Lord. Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Waiting on God can plum feel about as slow as an ol’ turtle wadin’ through cold molasses. Sometimes it feels like you’re stuck in life’s waitin’ room with nothin’ but a squeaky chair, a flickerin’ lightbulb, and a squirrel that keeps starin’ at you like it knows somethin’ you don’t. And right when you think you can’t wait another minute, Psalm 37:7 whispers, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” Then, Lamentations 3:25 leans in and reminds you, “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him.” That’s just God’s gentle way of sayin’, “Sit tight, friend. I’m workin’ even when you can’t see it.”
When Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit, they didn’t have a clue what that meant. They weren’t given a timeline, a tracking number, or even a hint. They were simply told to wait. And waitin’ is not passive. It takes a whole lot more grit than an ol’ rooster tryin’ to crow during a big hailstorm. Biblical waiting is real active. It’s leanin’ forward with expectation, not slumpin’ back with frustration. Isaiah 40:31 promises that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength, which means God does some of His best work while we feel like nothing is happening at all.
So, what do you do when God seems silent and you don’t know the next step? You gotta be leanin’ into the five W’s.
Wait. Not anxiously, but expectantly. Trust that God’s timing is better than yours.
Worship. Worship shifts your eyes from your problem to your Provider. It is hard to worry when you are busy praising.
Word. Stay in Scripture. God often reveals the next step after you have soaked in what He already said.
Work. Do the last thing God told you to do. Faithfulness in the small things prepares you for the big things.
Witness. Share your faith. Sometimes God keeps you in place because someone nearby needs what you carry.
Friend, waitin’ seasons just ain’ t no kind of wasted seasons. They’re real good trainin’ grounds. They plum stretch your faith, deepen your roots, and sharpen your ears to be hearin’ God’s voice. Passive waitin’ makes you real frustrated, but active waitin’ makes you ploum ready. And when God finally opens the next door, you’ll walk right on through a whole lot it stronger, wiser, and steadier than ever before.
Father, teach me to wait well. Help me trust Your timing when mine feels too slow. Fill my waiting with worship, Your Word, good work, and bold witness. Strengthen my heart and steady my steps as I lean into You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Ok, then, friend, as git to thinkin’ about goin’ back into your day, carry this notion with you that waiting on God ain’t like waiting on a bus that might never show up. It’s more like a lil’ seed tucked deep into the soil, quiet on the surface but burstin’ with purpose underneath. So, sit real steady, breathe real deep, and trust the One who never wastes a single wait. Your next step is restin’ already in His able hands.
With joy,
Gwen
