How to Be Patient When God Makes You Wait
“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” – Psalm 27:14
What are you waiting on God for?
A husband or wife?
A baby of your own?
A prodigal son or daughter to come home?
Salvation for your loved ones?
Healing or good health?
Financial provision?
Or something else?
At times it can seem impossible to keep trusting that God will come through for you.
And, have the patience to not grow bitter and lose heart.
But many times God will give us a promise and make us wait to receive it.
Why?
Why can’t we name it and claim it?
Why does God sometimes change the plans we’ve made for ourselves?
Why Does God Make Us Wait?
“Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” – Micah 7:7
We know God created the entire universe in only 6 days. (See Genesis 1)
So why does He make us wait sometimes years before He answers our prayers?
You see, it all goes back to God’s sovereignty.
It’s not a matter of if God can answer a prayer.
It’s a no-brainer that God can do anything He wills to do. (Matthew 19:26)
It’s a matter of if it’s His will and His timing to answer a prayer.
In His perfect timing, God will answer your prayers and give you the desires of your heart.
But God has reasons for the doors He opens and closes when He opens and closes them. (Isaiah 55:8)
Reasons we may never fully understand until we get to heaven.
We have to remember He is creator God and in full and complete control of our lives.
So when He has you wait, you need to trust that He has a good reason for it.
If you rush the waiting process, you will actually miss out on what God wants to do in and through you during that time.
So the question then becomes, is what you want, what you are asking for, really all that good for you?
And, if the answer is yes. Do you trust God enough to have patience until He brings it to pass?
God is the Giver of Good Gifts—Good Gifts Worth the Wait!
If you ask God for some bread, do you really think He will give you a stone?
Of course not!
If He loves you enough to have His Son Jesus Christ literally die on the cross for you, “how much MORE will He freely give you all things?” (See Matthew 7:11)
I was praying for a husband and father for my son for 7 years!
I sometimes questioned God if it would ever happen to me. And, why it was taking so long.
I was so impatient and discontent, it actually made me sick sometimes!
But it did happen.
When I least expected it and fully surrendered it in my heart to the Lord.
God showed Himself as faithful and brought me a husband.
But the waiting period was tough!
Many nights I cried myself to sleep, and at times, got angry with God that He wasn’t answering my prayers when I wanted Him to.
But looking back in hindsight, I get it.
I see exactly why God had me wait. And, why He chose the person He chose for me.
Honestly, I thank God He didn’t answer my prayer to my will in my timing.
If my husband and I would have met and got married any sooner than we did, it would have been a disaster!
So trust that in the waiting period, God is working behind the scenes.
If He says “wait” it doesn’t mean “no”.
It just means, “not yet”.
He is doing a work deep within your heart you’d never experience otherwise.
His will is to grow you, not torture you.
To mold you, not destroy you…
To draw you closer to Him, not push you away…
And to prepare you for what He has planned for you, not give you something you’re not ready to receive.
How Past Prayers Can Help You Wait on God—Today
I like to think of answered prayers as modern day miracles or “God moments.”
A God moment is something only God can do.
It’s a time in your life that you’ve seen God answer a specific request or fulfill a personal promise to you.
These should be written down in your journal or on little papers in a blessings jar.
So when new trials and tests come, you can look back and see what God’s already done.
Again, it was when David remembered how God gave him victory over the lion and the bear, that He was confident he’d have victory over Goliath.
If God was faithful before you can be sure He will be faithful again.
My husband and I are now praying, and waiting, for God to bless us with a baby.
And after a couple miscarriages so far, sometimes the waiting is so hard.
But because I’ve chosen to trust God and wait on His perfect timing, I have peace and contentment.
Looking back I saw God was faithful in bringing me my husband.
So I know He will be faithful in bringing us another child if it’s His perfect will for us.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)
Remembering what God has already done for you, will increase your faith in Him.
It will reassure your heart that if He was willing and able to answer your prayer yesterday.
Then He will be willing and able to answer your prayers again and again.
Key Takeaway
Think about it.
If you didn’t have to wait a whole year until Christmas morning to open presents, it wouldn’t be as exciting.
You wouldn’t have anything to look forward to.
The same goes when you have to wait on God to answer your prayers.
Waiting gives you something to hope for, pray for, and look to God alone for.
So if you’re in a season of waiting—don’t lose heart.
And don’t give up on God.
Continue pouring out your hearts desires to Him and trusting that if it’s in His perfect will, then He will bring it to pass.
Remember, He is your heavenly Father and knows what’s best for you.
He has good gifts in store for your life.
“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to you from God”. (See James 1:17)
Looking back, I’ve learned to thank Him for all of those times He didn’t answer my prayers the way I wanted Him to.
Because His plans for me were so much better than what I had originally planned for myself.
The Bible says our hearts are deceitfully wicked above all else! (See Jeremiah 17:9)
And many times we’re so easily influenced and deceived.
That’s why it’s so important to surrender everything to God so you don’t make a wrong choice or go the wrong way.
Perhaps what you want so badly will actually make you miserable or draw you away from God.
Or maybe it is God’s perfect will, but not His perfect timing.
Trust me, God’s perfect will at the wrong time can be just as bad as His imperfect will at any time.
You have to purpose in your heart to wait for His absolute best.
And believe by faith that He will make all things beautiful in His perfect timing.” (Ecc. 3:11)
Remember, He has never let you down and He never will.
“Ask and believe
You’re gonna see
The hand of God in every little thing
Don’t you be afraid
Of giants in your way
With God you know that anything’s possible
So step into the fight
He’s right there by your side
The stones inside your hand might be small
But watch the giants fall…”