Patiently Waiting on God: 5 Empowering Tips (Even For Complainers)

Are you waiting patiently on God to get a prayer answered?

I am.

Well, maybe not patiently waiting…More like forced to wait.

Isn’t that the way most of us live our lives? We are forced or even stuck in the “wait” mode.  Waiting to grow up, waiting to graduate, get a job, find a spouse, waiting to have a baby…retirement.

Sounds monotonous. There has got to be more to life than just waiting.

But wait…there is more (pun intended).

Could it be that we can do something while we are patiently waiting on God?

Instead of complaining, throwing fits, stewing, or running away from God, consider changing your attitude about the process; it may shorten the wait time.

Choose to stop and learn what God is trying to teach you in the first place because the process of waiting (patience) is just as important as what you are waiting for.

RELATED: 5 Awesome Truths When You Feel God Has Left You

Does waiting on God mean doing nothing? On the contrary, wait means “a state or attitude of watchfulness and expectancy” according to Webster’s Dictionary.

It also means “to serve”—just like a waiter waits or serves at a restaurant.

Webster defines patiently as” in a patient manner: with calmness or without complaint or hurry in spite of delays, difficulties, tedium, etc.”

If you put all the definitions together you get this meaning: calmly serving and watching without complaint despite difficulties and delays.

Truthfully, the “without complaint despite difficulties” gets me every time.

If you are one of those people (like me) who thrashes around in frustration while waiting on God, realize there is more to your trial than waiting.

There are things to do while patiently waiting on God to move in your life.

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How Do You Patiently Wait on God?

When waiting on God becomes difficult, what do you do? Do you moan, complain, and wallow in self-pity?  Or is there something else going on with your trial that you haven’t considered?

Perhaps you have been given the opportunity to wait for a reason. Before you have a complete meltdown and walk away from your faith, check out these 5 benefits of waiting on the Lord:

1. Trust while patiently waiting on God

Waiting on God is a mind game; it’s finding a confident peace in our minds knowing we can trust God with our circumstances.

Every day Satan whispers negative thoughts into our ears like, “God has forgotten you” or “God doesn’t care about your problems.” Perhaps you have heard this one…”God doesn’t love you. Just give up.”

Don’t believe it. It is a lie! Trust that His timing is perfect. 

Fight back with truth using “waiting on God” verses.

Keep repeating the words over and over. It will remind you to trust God with your life and those you love even if you have to wait a long time for Him to answer your prayers.

Micah 7:7 says, “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me” (NIV).

RELATED: Positive Self-Talk: Powerful Ways to Use Scripture

2. Pursue God while patiently waiting on Him

It is easy to become angry and bitter when you are patiently waiting on God. Instead of running away from God, try fellowship and prayer with Him. Ask Him what He is doing right now, and how you can grow during this time.

Worship Him despite your circumstances. In fact, this is an opportunity to enter into His presence like never before. God draws us to Him when we go through trials, which is why He allows them in the first place.

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3. Serve others while patiently waiting on God

God assigns us the most common and mundane tasks to do while we are patiently waiting on Him to answer our prayers.

Just like a waiter waits on others, God may be calling you to wait on His people.

Don’t despise washing dishes, laundry, cleaning, changing dirty diapers, going to a job, or serving your community. If you’re waiting on God for a miracle, calmly serve God without complaint. In other words, do good with your time. Serving is truly the BEST way to help manage the pain of waiting on God.

Luke 16:10 says, “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities” (NLT).

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4. Believe God is good while patiently waiting on God

Choose to believe God is good even though it looks different in the natural. Your feelings can not be trusted in a trial. Choose not to give in to negativity, hopelessness, anger, or despair. The truth is that God is doing things behind the scenes that you don’t know about or understand.

Did you know that God’s name is never mentioned in the Book of Esther? But God was working behind the scenes in powerful ways. In the end, God’s goodness was evident: Haman was hung, the edict was reversed, and the Jews were saved.

It is much the same with you. God may not be overtly evident, but He still has a good plan.  He loves you passionately and is working on your behalf. He is there with you as you walk this journey of waiting patiently for Him to come through.

Matthew 7:11 says, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

5. Be grateful while patiently waiting on God

Be grateful for what God has already given you.

Many times we become hyper-focused on one issue in our lives that aren’t going well and forget to look around and see what God has already done for us.

When I start losing hope, I count all my blessings. You can do the same thing. What blessings do you have? Focus on these things instead of your problems.

Furthermore, when God does answer your prayers, you will be so grateful for what you have been given because you waited a long time to see it come to pass.

“Thessalonians 5:16–18 says, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”(NIV).

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What Does the Bible Say About Waiting On God’s Timing?

There are many Bible verses about waiting patiently on God’s timing; it seems to be a reoccurring theme in the Christian life. If the Bible has so many verses on this subject, it must be a good thing.

Check out these “waiting on God verses” that will encourage you while you are stuck in a holding pattern:

Isiah 40:31

“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.”

Psalm 5:3

“In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”

Romans 8:25

“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

Psalm 27:14

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

2 Peter 3:9
“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

Don’t be weary while you wait for the Lord because it is where all the good stuff happens. You will grow closer to God, get stronger, have endurance, and reflect the Savior more in the end. More importantly, it pleases God when you have faith and wait..

Clearly, we all need these profound times of patiently waiting on God to grow us toward spiritual maturity. There is no other way to develop character that reflects Jesus. Embrace the wait and learn everything you can so you don’t have to take the test again.

Perhaps God is actually waiting on you. How’s that for a plot twist?

What do you do when patiently waiting on God? Comment below. 

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