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You are here: Home / Encouragement / Waiting on God

January 14, 2014 By Rachel Wojo

Waiting on God

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Waiting is my least favorite thing to do. Who invented waiting anyways? Worse yet, who invented the “waiting room?” Essentially, it’s a room to tell you:

It’s not your turn yet….we have no place for you, so you’re stuck here. Waiting. Yes, we know this room is a bit rigid, but we keep it that way on purpose so it stays clean. Perhaps if no one is comfortable enough to even breathe here, we won’t have to clean it that often…”

Ok, maybe those thoughts only belong in my head and not anyone else’s, but certainly you can attest that the world is full of unhappy waiting people.

What happens if the car at the front of the line doesn’t go as soon as the light turns  green?

And what happens if the cars in the drive thru start to get backed up?

Why do grumpy faces generously appear in certain stores that start with W and only keep one register open during the day?

gods waiting room full

The human race just might be called a “race” for more than one reason- we want to move on to the next thing. We don’t enjoy waiting, we don’t want to wait, and especially if the circumstances are beyond our control.

There’s nothing like waiting on God.

No, truly, there is nothing like waiting on God.

I’ve learned, and am still learning, that waiting on God to work in our lives doesn’t have to be the frustrating, blow-your-hair-out-of-your-face-with-your-bottom-lip deal that we make it out to be. Now as I said, I’m STILL learning how to love waiting on God, but here are 3 reasons I believe the Bible teaches that God places us in the “waiting room.”

God alone knows when we are ready for the answer for which we’ve been waiting.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17

If I gave my 12 year old son a car for his birthday this year, what would happen? A. Something horrible because he’s not qualified to drive it yet. or B. He would have to sit and stare at it because he’s not qualified to drive it yet. God knows when we are ready for the answer for which we are waiting. He wants us to be equipped for the answer He’s giving and He knows how hard it would be to sit and stare at the answer while we continue to work on our qualifications.

God wants to be our Strength in the waiting.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 27:14

Through the process of the wait, we have the privilege of learning how to rely on Him. We build our strength in the Lord through the waiting process. Standing poised at the edge of an opportunity, with a ready ear for the captain’s word to move, requires more character and strength than barging ahead on our own. Standing still, listening to His voice, having our hearts open to His Word- these “waiting room” activities are carving and toning our spiritual muscles.

God wants to give us something far greater than the gift of an answer. 

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Ps. 37:4

I love to receive gifts from my husband. We rarely give gifts to each other for various (ahem, 7) reasons, (known as children.) But you know what I enjoy WAY more than a gift from my husband? The gift OF my husband.

You see, God wants to give us the answer we’re searching for, dreaming of, longing after…but He really wants to give us something much, much bigger than that gift. He wants to give us Himself. He longs to draw us close in a relationship with Him, so deep that we will forget all about that answer we are anxiously waiting for. Because we have found the answer in Him.

How do we begin to enjoy waiting on God?

We can advance no further or deeper into the holy place of God’s presence to wait on Him there, than our heart is prepared for it by the Holy Spirit. – Andrew Murray

By making the choice to allow His spirit to work in us. To move our thought patterns toward His desires. To know that every single minute of every day that we are in the “waiting room,” He’s not waiting. He’s preparing our hearts for the right direction.

What we perceive as “waiting” is actually His wooing.

Rachel

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Filed Under: Encouragement Tagged With: wait on God, waiting on God

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Comments

  1. Mary Geisen says

    January 14, 2014 at 3:55 am

    Beautiful words and truths, Rachel! I have experienced the actual waiting room recently with my mom and your post describes perfectly what it feels like. I am also waiting for The Lord and resting in His promises as I learn a new normal in my life. My mom went home to Jesus on Saturday and as my heart aches I also know that Jesus is rejoicing. Thank you for heeding God’s calling by writing what He puts on your heart. This has blessed me so much this evening.

    • Rachel Wojnarowski says

      January 14, 2014 at 4:01 am

      Oh Mary! My heart aches for you so deeply at this time. I wonder if your mama and mine are hugging and talking about their writer girls down here on this earth. Prayers for you, dear sister in Christ.

  2. JoAnn Hammen says

    January 14, 2014 at 4:23 am

    My son who is a handsome and smart 17 year old feels “stuck” in life right now – and he’s too young to feel stuck. I love love love your article above and wish I could translate it to a teenage boy! I’m so glad I found you on Pinterest – you are truly inspiring.

    JoAnn 🙂

  3. Mary T says

    January 14, 2014 at 4:48 am

    Praying for Mary G as she waits for the Lord to guide her on her journey with Him through this season of her life.
    Rachel, I have learned so much from God about waiting patiently even when it’s hard! For me, I believe patient waiting is based on trust, faith and hope in the Lord and in His plan for us and for others. I usually need to remind myself that it isn’t always about me and that He is answering me in His perfect time! This hope brings me peace when I am waiting on the Lord!

  4. Pam says

    January 14, 2014 at 10:44 am

    Rachel:

    I am so thankful that I found you recently. Your devotions have truly become the ‘highlight’ of my day! You have such a gift with your words!

    I appreciate you so much!

    pam
    Texas

    • Rachel Wojnarowski says

      January 14, 2014 at 9:36 pm

      God is good, Pam. Glad you are here!!

  5. Jennifer @purplebuoy says

    January 14, 2014 at 12:16 pm

    Thank you for this timely article. Be blessed:)

    • Rachel Wojnarowski says

      January 14, 2014 at 9:35 pm

      Thank you Friend!

  6. Shirlee says

    January 14, 2014 at 12:43 pm

    These words really fed my heart this morning Rachel! Talk about “a word in due season!” Thank you for sharing : )

  7. Denise says

    January 14, 2014 at 1:25 pm

    Thank you so much for this post! The Lord certainy speaks His truth through you…thank you for allowing Him to use you in such powerful ways. I too, am in His waiting room (well, several!) – the waiting room of marriage that many Christian wives are in, and the waiting room that will someday lead me to the ministry that He has for me. This post was so encouraging and enriching to me, thank you! Have a blessed day.

    • Rachel Wojnarowski says

      January 14, 2014 at 9:35 pm

      Blessings to you, Denise.

  8. Ellen Chauvin says

    January 14, 2014 at 6:36 pm

    Beautifully said! Thank you for your insight! I’ve always been one to hurry through. Now, I am learning to enjoy the journey!

  9. Michelle Axton Kelly says

    January 14, 2014 at 8:24 pm

    I just love when God makes SURE I get a message by placing it in my path when I need it most. I just read about waiting this morning in Max Lucado’s You’ll Get Through This. And again here, written so beautifully and as if just for my eyes. When I think about how God has transformed my heart, my faith, my life in just the last ten years I can see why His perfect plan for my life included a waiting room. He has and continues to purify and prepare my heart for what lies ahead. Pretty exciting stuff when I examine this time from that angle. Thank you So much for posting this today. You always touch my heart with your inspiration!

    • Rachel Wojnarowski says

      January 14, 2014 at 9:35 pm

      oh I’ve been wanting that book! Bless you Girl!

  10. Donna says

    January 15, 2014 at 8:36 am

    I read your articles & I try to believe, my faith just seems broken. I lost my little boy last year in a horrible accident & I pray to God to show me that he is safe, well, happy but I feel nothing in return. I want that relationship but for me it’s not there & that saddens me. Does God not want to help me?

    Thank you for your article though, hopefully I’m next in line.

    • Rachel Wojnarowski says

      January 15, 2014 at 2:59 pm

      Donna, I am so very sorry for your loss. God does want to help you; He loves you so very much. Sheila Walsh has a book called “God Loves Broken People” and I highly recommend the book. The Bible promises that anyone who seeks Jesus when they search for Him with all their hearts, they will find Him. If there is anything further I can do to help you in your search, please let me know. Prayers for you today!!!

    • Stacy says

      January 15, 2014 at 11:38 pm

      Donna – I just wanted to say how much my heart hurts for you. I can only imagine the pain you carry each day. I’m praying that God makes himself known in the days ahead. Sometimes, we can’t go with what we feel. We have to remind ourselves of what we know to be true of God. And what I know is that he loves you, that he is near to the broken hearted and that he has felt the searing loss you now feel. Praying for you tonight.

      • Rachel Wojnarowski says

        January 16, 2014 at 2:23 am

        Thank you, Stacy. Amen.

    • Denise says

      January 16, 2014 at 2:30 am

      Donna,

      My heart truly goes out to you. Even though we believe IN God, sometimes the most difficult thing can be to BELIEVE God, especially in painful situations. You are in my heart and mind tonight. Keep looking to Him…He is there and loves you so very much. His power and presence are with you. Thinking of and praying for you, Donna. God bless.

  11. Kim B says

    January 15, 2014 at 10:50 am

    GREAT Post Rachel! Filled with much needed reminders 🙂

    • Rachel Wojnarowski says

      January 15, 2014 at 2:57 pm

      Hey you! Glad to see your face!! Thank you Friend. God is good.

  12. Jackie says

    January 15, 2014 at 2:55 pm

    Thank you so much for writing this. Waiting on God makes so much more sense to me now. I have been tempted to get up and leave the waiting room several times over the past 6 months but knew I would just have to come right back and sit down and behave 🙂 Reading this has given me hope. Thank you and may God bless you with hope also.

    • Rachel Wojnarowski says

      January 15, 2014 at 7:10 pm

      Bless you Jackie! God is good through the wait. He knows the best for us! Thank you for your encouragement back to me!

  13. KT says

    January 17, 2014 at 2:14 am

    I really needed to see this! I’ve been in the “waiting room” for years and I’ve constantly seen my friends get promoted. I’ve been waiting on the same promotion but to my avail, I seem to never succeed. Maybe it isn’t my time or season. I constantly ask myself and The Lord when. This puts it all in perspective. I just need to wait patiently. My time will come. Thank you for these words!

    • Rachel Wojnarowski says

      January 17, 2014 at 2:36 am

      KT- I read a portion of Lysa TerKeurst’s book last night that helped me so much. “…there are plenty of times where we clearly see the hand of God in difficult circumstances. We look back and marvel at how God brought great things out of challenging situations. But there are plenty of times when God, in His sovereignty, does not open open our eyes to what He is doing. He wants us to trust Him, no matter what is happening.” I loved this because it helps me grasp how much I need to give Him the control. Bless you, Girl- God’s got it!!

  14. John Barrett says

    January 17, 2014 at 2:10 pm

    Thank you Rachel for allowing God to speak through you. This message couldn’t have come at a better time. I have received a call to enter ministry, but have been learning that the call is from God and he will reveal the particulars as I am ready to receive them. There’s a great little book by Henri Nouwen entitled :The Spirituality of Waiting” that I recommend to everyone.

  15. Charlsey G says

    January 20, 2014 at 7:02 pm

    I so desperately needed to read this and internalize it today. Pinned and saved on my board. Will be reflecting on this often throughout this year. Thank you so much.

    • Rachel Wojnarowski says

      January 20, 2014 at 8:08 pm

      needed it myself again today. Blessings to you, Charlsey!

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I'm Rachel! So glad you're here! I want to help you cultivate a personal faith that will outlast the storms of life. And mercy, aren't there a lot of them? I'm a wife, mom, author, speaker, and freelance writer. Our communities have completed over 35 Bible reading challenges and online Bible studies, as well as enjoyed hundreds of prayers, devotionals, and creative study ideas. You can learn more about my story and how to enjoy this site HERE

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