Waiting on God
Trusting His Timing When You Want Answers
“But those who wait on 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 (NKJV)
There are few things more difficult than waiting. We pray, seek God’s direction, and ask for answers, yet heaven often seems silent. Whether we’re waiting for healing, a new opportunity, restored relationships, or clarity about the future, the delay can leave us wondering if God has forgotten us.
Last month in our The Seed: Kingdom Growth From Within series, we discovered that spiritual growth unfolds through seasons of planting, nurturing, and harvest. God works according to His perfect timetable, not ours. This month, we are continuing that journey by learning that waiting is not a pause in God’s plan. It is often where He accomplishes some of His deepest work in our hearts.
Our theme passage for this series reminds us that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance shapes character, and character leads to hope that does not disappoint (Romans 5:3-5, NIV). This week, we focus on that next step: character. Waiting is one of God’s greatest classrooms because it teaches us to trust Him even when we cannot yet see His purpose.
Waiting Is Never Wasted
Modern culture teaches us to expect instant results. We can communicate, shop, and access information in seconds. Yet God’s Kingdom rarely operates on the clock we prefer. Throughout Scripture, His greatest servants experienced long seasons of waiting before seeing His promises fulfilled.
Abraham waited decades before Isaac, the promised son, was born (Genesis 21:1-3, NKJV). During those years, God was not absent. He was strengthening Abraham’s faith and teaching him that the fulfillment of God’s promises depends on God’s faithfulness rather than human effort.
Waiting often feels like inactivity, but God is never inactive. While we focus on changing circumstances, He is shaping our hearts. The delay we struggle to understand today may be preparing us for responsibilities, blessings, or opportunities we could not yet carry.
God’s Timing Is Always Connected to His Wisdom
One of the most comforting verses in Scripture is found in Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NKJV): “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Solomon wrote these words after reflecting on life’s many seasons. His point was not that every season is pleasant, but that every season has purpose within God’s sovereign plan.
Perhaps no biblical story illustrates this better than Joseph’s. Betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and forgotten in prison, Joseph endured years of waiting before becoming Egypt’s governor. Looking backward, the delay made perfect sense because God had positioned him to preserve countless lives during famine (Genesis 50:20, NKJV).
We rarely understand God’s timing while we are living through it. We usually recognize His wisdom only after we have walked through it. Faith means believing that God’s delays are never His denials.
Waiting Develops Trust More Than Answers
Psalm 27:14 (NKJV) encourages believers:
“Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!”
David wrote these words after experiencing danger, uncertainty, and opposition. He learned that waiting was not passive resignation but active dependence upon God. Waiting requires courage because trusting an unseen God often feels more difficult than taking matters into our own hands.
Many of us pray, “Lord, change my circumstances.” God often responds first by changing us.
During seasons of waiting, He develops patience, humility, perseverance, and deeper dependence upon His Spirit. These qualities cannot be rushed. Just as fruit matures gradually on a tree, spiritual maturity develops over time. God’s goal is not merely to answer our prayers. His greater desire is to conform us to the image of Christ.
Isaiah’s promise reminds us that those who wait upon the Lord receive renewed strength. Notice that God does not promise immediate explanations. He promises His sustaining presence.
Trust the God Who Sees the Whole Picture
One of the most beloved promises in Scripture reminds us:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV)
Our understanding is limited by what we can see today. God’s perspective stretches across eternity. What appears to us as an unnecessary delay may actually be divine protection, preparation, or provision.
Jesus’ own disciples experienced this truth. After His resurrection, they waited in Jerusalem exactly as He instructed before receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-8, NKJV). That period of waiting prepared them for the mission that would transform the world. Had they rushed ahead, they would have attempted God’s work without God’s power.
The same principle remains true today. God’s timing is not simply about when something happens. It is about who we become while we wait.
If you find yourself waiting today, remember this simple truth: God has never been late. Every promise He has made has been fulfilled according to His perfect wisdom. The God who was faithful to Abraham, Joseph, David, and the apostles remains faithful to you.
Instead of asking, “Lord, why are You making me wait?” consider asking, “Lord, what are You teaching me while I wait?” That question often opens our hearts to the transforming work He has been doing all along.
Trust His heart when you cannot trace His hand. His timing is never random, and His love for you never wavers.
Take a moment today to surrender your timeline to the Lord. Place your unanswered prayers, delayed dreams, and uncertain future into His capable hands. Continue to seek Him faithfully, knowing that every season of waiting is preparing you for something greater than you can presently imagine.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, teach me to trust Your perfect timing even when I long for immediate answers. Strengthen my faith, shape my character, and help me rest confidently in Your unfailing wisdom and love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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“Complete God’s Promise”
2-Minute Faith Challenge
Fill in the missing words without looking up the verses. Then check your answers in your Bible.
1. Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)
“But those who ________ on the Lord shall renew their __________.”
Answer: wait, strength
2. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)
“Trust in the Lord with all your ________, and lean not on your own __________________.”
Answer: heart, understanding
3. Psalm 27:14 (NKJV)
“Wait on the Lord; be of good __________, and He shall strengthen your __________.”
Answer: courage, heart
Bonus Reflection
Which promise do I need to remember most while I wait?
Waiting on God
By Andrew Murray
In a world that values speed, instant answers, and immediate results, Waiting on God by Andrew Murray offers a refreshing reminder that some of God’s greatest work is accomplished during seasons of waiting. Written as a devotional classic, this timeless book invites believers to exchange impatience for trust, teaching that waiting is not passive resignation but active dependence upon the Lord. Murray gently leads readers through Scripture, showing that God’s delays are often His divine preparation, shaping our faith, refining our character, and drawing us into a deeper relationship with Him.
This message beautifully complements this week’s EXCEL2FAITH article, “Waiting on God — Trusting His Timing When You Want Answers.” Just as the article encourages readers to trust God’s heart when His answers seem delayed, Murray reminds us that God’s perfect timing is never accidental. Every season of waiting becomes an opportunity to know Him more intimately, strengthen our confidence in His promises, and discover that His plans are always worth the wait.
Whether you are praying for guidance, healing, restored relationships, or clarity about the future, Waiting on God will encourage you to remain steadfast, hopeful, and expectant as you rest in God’s unfailing faithfulness.
Purchase your copy of Waiting on God today and allow its timeless biblical wisdom to strengthen your walk with Christ. Then subscribe to the EXCEL2FAITH Newsletter for weekly biblical encouragement, practical Bible studies, and resources designed to help you grow deeper in God’s Word
.Heavenly Father, when the answers I long for seem delayed, teach me to trust Your heart even when I cannot see Your hand. Quiet my anxious thoughts, strengthen my faith through every season of waiting, and help me remember that Your timing is always guided by perfect wisdom, unfailing love, and eternal purpose. Draw me closer to You each day so that my greatest desire is not simply to receive what I am waiting for, but to know You more deeply and reflect Christ more faithfully. Thank You for never leaving me, for working behind the scenes on my behalf, and for proving that those who wait upon You are never disappointed. Amen.
