There are times in life when God will make us wait. In those periods, He wants to get our attention. He may be trying to speak to you about a situation occurring in your life, or He may know the timing of what we’re requesting just isn’t right. When life seems to be running the smoothest during those periods, it’s easy to forget to call on God. When we are requesting something in life from God, it’s hard to be patient because we want our prayers answered right then. However, trust in God’s timing is imperative. When we align our steps with God’s and walk in submission to Him, we can hear His voice more clearly. Sometimes, our waiting period is when God prepares us for something greater than we can ever understand. Here are six ways to trust God’s timing in every aspect of your life.
Remember, there’s joy in waiting.
Waiting can be frustrating. Think about when we have to wait in line for a purchase or get stuck behind a slow car driving in the fast lane. This same hurriedness can also find its way in our faith lives which causes us to rush into life situations without consulting God. We know we are supposed to turn to God for direction, but our inability to be patient can pull us away from God. While life may calls us to rush, God is not. In fact, God is never in a hurry. There is great joy that lies on the other side of patience. We often forget that God has a purpose for our lives greater than we could have ever imagined. We will have to make important decisions on our life journey and figure out which way to go. If we rush the process without turning to God, we may go down a path we regret. However, when we trust God, and the path puts us on, incredible things will be revealed to us. Waiting can reveal what God was trying to tell us when we couldn’t see it.
Acknowledge the presence of God, even when things are collapsing.
It can be difficult to trust God when you don’t know what your path looks like or what a situational outcome is. However, we must remember that God is there. He is still good and present. Joshua 1:9 says, “Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” The choices we make in our waiting period are critical. They can propel us forward or away from God. Therefore, when times are difficult, we should hold on to God. Choosing to trust God can help us grow in relationship with Him and glorify Him better.
Know that God is strengthening you spiritually.
We may not always be able to see it, but waiting can really help strengthen us spiritually. When we hear the term spiritual strengthening, we generally think of it as being different from physical strengthening. The truth is there are times the Lord has a plan for our future that we can’t understand. He may have to accomplish it in us before we can handle it. Think about it. If we receive instant direction from God, we would hardly ever be able to exercise true faith. God may be using your waiting period to strengthen you spiritually. A major sign of Christian maturity is when we can wait in confidence peacefully. We can know exactly how to move when we can trust in God’s timing.
Know that patience pays off.
Patience is imperative when it comes to trusting in God’s timing. This is something David and other biblical figures recognized. They knew they needed to wait on the Lord. David discovered that nobody but God could deliver Him. His main hope was for God to answer his prayers. Think about what your prayer looks like right now. Do your prayers revolve around you asking God for what you want with a spirit of hurry because you want immediate answers? Sometimes, God’s answer to us is to simply be patient and wait on him. In Psalm 5:3, David reminds us to listen to God’s voice in the morning. “Each morning, I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly,” David said. We also can trust God’s response, even when it didn’t come when we hoped it would.
Understand that God is building dependence on Him.
There will be periods when our condition is unhealthy physically and emotionally. During these moments, we often lack patience because of the circumstances. We may even begin to look for certain thrills in our lives. When it comes to our physical life, this may show up in the form of obsessions and destructions. These things can destroy us spiritually. The reality of God’s presence is not contingent on our determinations to keep God before us continually. Our problems show up when we refuse to put our trust in God’s presence and timing. We must build dependence on Him if we want to see our lives grow for the better.
Believe that God is transforming your character.
Trusting in God’s timing can build great character. Think about biblical figures like Moses. He became a great leader in His. He also allowed God to work through Him to share many miracles for the children of Israel. This didn’t happen overnight. Moses had to go through a long waiting period in the desert, 40 years to be exact, before God came to Him. When Moses was given a second chance, he decided to go about it in God’s way and trust His timing. Waiting has the power to humble us and make us less rough around the edges. These waiting periods can reveal the Christlike character within us.
There are times when we will be taken off our faith path and struggle with waiting. Sometimes that very impatience can cause us to lose sight of the many blessings God has placed in front of us and miss His Will for our lives. However, when we trust in God’s timing by waiting, we can begin to walk in peace and total certainty. What is more beautiful than this?
