5 Things You Can Do in Times of Waiting

“Wait!” “Be patient.” “Be still.” These are all things I’m terrible at. I want to be active and productive constantly. Yet oftentimes in this life, circumstances are beyond our control. Things take time and sometimes we can feel helpless in the waiting.

Waiting on a test result or a diagnosis? Longing so badly for something in life and it just doesn’t seem like it’s in the cards for you? Waiting for circumstances to change, but it feels impossible?

The process of waiting is a difficult state to be in. So, what can we do during this time when we feel like things are out of our control?

1. Pray

This may seem like an obvious first step, and it should be. Yet, often, we turn to our own devices and do everything in our power to change our circumstances, before surrendering them to God.

Tell the Lord what’s on your heart. Spend time in His word. Ask for Him to give you wisdom and peace within your current circumstances.

2. Stay Active in the Waiting

When situations feel overwhelming, it’s tempting to freeze and think we need to just sit around for answers. However, while we wait patiently (or more often, impatiently) on God to work, we can remain aware and active. If we’re spending time in His Word and talking to Him, we can be actively living for Him in the midst of our waiting.

We can look for ways to love, serve, and encourage the faith of those around us every day.

3. Express Your Feelings

I don’t mean you need to go unloading every little detail of your life to your waitress or a stranger in the check out line. You shouldn’t keep it all to yourself either though!

If waiting is exhausting and the unknown feels scary, talk to someone you trust about it. Write down your thoughts, cry out to the Lord, consider seeing a therapist, paint a picture, go for a long walk in nature.

Express your feelings about the situation in a healthy way. This is such a helpful step in processing your thoughts. and can bring some insight to the jumbled mess circling around in your head.

4. See the Good

Our outward circumstances can feel all-consuming at times. We can easily get wrapped up in our feelings about them. We might think, “This sucks.” “Why does it seem like one bad thing after another keeps happening to me?” “I just can’t catch a break!”

We’re only human, and it’s important that we acknowledge these negative feelings, as previously mentioned. It’s unhealthy to shove them down or deny their existence.

I’m not saying you should pretend everything is fine.

There are so many components in our day-to-day lives though. We can easily overlook the good things going on around when we’re so caught up in the difficulties of our situation.

We might miss the beauty in the snowfall out the window (Yes, it’s snows in April where I live) or of the ombre sunset lighting up the evening sky.

What about the blessing of that friend who’s checking in on you, praying for you, and encouraging you through this difficult time? Or those moments of laughter with people you love?

Notice those things. Take pictures. Write them down. Thank God for them.

We should be intentional about noticing the beauty within our days, no matter how small it seems. These things are part of your story right now too.

5. Reflect on the Past

God is good. Life can be terribly painful sometimes, but this fact doesn’t change. He is good.

If you can’t see or feel his goodness right now in this time of waiting, you’re not alone. When you’re in the valley, you can’t see what’s on the other side of the mountain, and it’s easy to lose hope.

I’d encourage you to look back over past circumstances in your life.

God has brought you through every difficult thing you have endured thus far, He’s not going to leave you hanging now. Reflect on those times He’s protected you, He’s been by your side,  or when He’s provided what you needed when you didn’t even know you needed it.

He has a plan for you in this also. It’d be so much easier if we could just take a sneak peek at it, wouldn’t it? That’s where faith comes in. Hold fast and cling to His promises. He’s got you!

An Omniscient God

Waiting in the unknown can be one of the scariest things in this life. Thankfully, we have a God who knows and sees all, and we can lean on Him as we wait.

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