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7 Things To Do While You are Waiting on God

By February 26, 2017Church, Encouragement, Faith, Fear

I’ve spent much of my walk with God waiting.

  • Waiting for Him to give direction.
  • Waiting on Him to open doors.
  • Waiting on Him to make things clearer.
  • Waiting on Him to supply the needed resources.

Throughout the stories of the Bible we often find God’s people waiting. Think of Abraham who had to wait years for God to provide the promised son. Think of Noah and the many days he must have worked on the ark, yet he had apparently never seen rain. Think of the anointed David who had to wait to actually assume the position of king. Think of the disciples, taking Jesus at His word by following Him, but having to wait until they were released to do ministry. What about the followers of God who waited 400 years in silence between the Old Testament and the arrival of Jesus?

Waiting is a part of the Christian experience.

The waiting times are difficult to endure, especially if you are like me and generally struggle in the area of patience. Show me someone who has grown in their maturity in Christ and I can almost guarantee you they have had seasons where they were waiting.

I’ve learned, however, there are things I can be doing during the wait, which help me prepare when God chooses to act in my life.

Are you in a time of waiting? Perhaps some of these suggestions may help.

Here are 7 things we can do while we wait on God.:

Prepare my heart.

The ultimate goal of God in my life is to transform me into the image of His Son. He wants my heart and character more than even some of the great activities I could do for Him. The silent times are the some of the best times to be seeking the heart of God. During the waiting period, I find I need to increase my prayer and study time, preparing my heart to receive God’s instructions.

Learn all I can.

I learn more from the struggles of life than I do from the easy times of life. The same can be true through the times of waiting for God to move. God reveals His character to us as we wait. (I find myself reading more of the Psalms during times of waiting. They remind me of God’s presence even during days of silence.)

Watch for His activity.

Just because God is silent does not mean He’s being still. God is always doing something, even when I can’t tell what it is. I’ve learned to be watchful for the hidden activity of God.

Stay active with what I know to be doing.

The Bible is clear on some things I can always be doing – love my neighbor, look out for “the least of these”, make disciples – just to name a few. Waiting times do not mean doing nothing. It may be in the doing something we discover that for which God has been waiting to bless us.

Listen for His voice or the voice of others He sends.

Isaiah 30:20-21 talks about a “voice” saying “this is the way – walk in it” during the “days of adversity“. This is an important reminder. I’ve learned to listen for His voice, knowing the more I know Him personally, the more I’ll hear even His softest whisper. Many times God is trying to speak to us, whether through His written word (which seems to be the dominant way He speaks), or through other people in my life, or through the circumstances of my life. Often there are consistent themes I keep “hearing”, but it takes me a while to actually process them. (Reading 1 Samuel may help here.)

Heal from past hurts – if needed.

Many times the silent periods in my walk with God come after very difficult periods. At times, I’ve learned, I can’t hear God because my emotions are clouded with the pain of my past. In those days, what I most need is to heal my emotions so I can think clearly, discern His voice, and prepare for His next assignment. This may take processing hurts with others, extending forgiveness, or admitting sin to renew my closeness with God.

Pray without ceasing.

Prayer is my personal connection to the God upon whom I am waiting. As long as I’m praying, I’m less likely to worry and more likely to walk by faith. Praying without ceasing doesn’t mean I do nothing except pray, but it means I carry an attitude – a heart of prayer – into everything I do. I remain keenly aware of His presence through the Spirit of God, so when He speaks I have the best possible opportunity to hear.

Are you in a period of waiting? Have you been there before? I’m voicing a prayer now that you would soon hear from God – that God would make Himself known.

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Ron Edmondson

Author Ron Edmondson

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Join the discussion 26 Comments

  • Becky says:

    Realize God is enough! Not God and ____. Whether that blank be “my health”, “a spouse”, “a job” or whatever. HE really is enough. Through my time of waiting I’ve learned that, even though I still desire a godly spouse, I don’t NEED a spouse. GOD IS ENOUGH!! It took me a while to accept it (I can be a slow learner :-), but once I truly allowed God to fulfill my needs and turned my focus to Him, He had filled me with a relaxed peace that I can’t explain!! He is so awesome!!!

  • nancymukiira says:

    Heal…if needed – Many times the silent periods in my walk with God come after difficult periods. At times, I’ve learned, I can’t hear God because my emotions are clouded with the pain of my past. In those days, I try to heal my emotions so I can think clearly, discern His voice, and prepare for His next assignment.

    and am in total agreement…love this article

  • @kellycroy says:

    This was very helpful Ron. My entire family and I are in a period of waiting. We are waiting for a door to open. Thanks. Great post.

  • bden011 says:

    I am in a period of waiting. Where should I work next? Should I stay here or go somewhere else?

  • I have been hearing/reading the word “still” a lot lately. Also words like steady, stand, stable. Then on the other hand I hear/read words like ask, seek, search, knock. Which am I being led to do? That is the question!

    • ronedmondson says:

      Sometimes I think you do both. Seriously. You wait to do what you don't know to do and you run for the things you know to do. You keep asking while you remain still. I don't know that you'll ever figure out the balance, but I do think there are times we are doing both.

  • TERESA VERAS says:

    RON, MAYBE I CAN'T EXPRESS MY SELF AS GOOD AS YOU DO, EVENTHOUGH WHAT WOULD YOU THINK IF I SAY THAT I'VE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME (11 YEARS) TO BE HILL OF RA (REUMATHOIDES ARTHRITIS), AND TO RE-ESTABLISH MY MARRIED, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER MUCH THE PAST BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A LONG TERM HOPE IT IS INMINENT RE-SET THIS HOPE AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND EAR AND EAR THE SAME BIBLE WORDS ONES AND ANOTHER TIME. AND DO NOT BE CONFORM WITH THIS MOMENT RESULT, YOU NEED TO BELIVE IN HIS FIDELITY. BUT MEANWHILE HE HAS BEEN DOING MANY THINGS IN OTHERS AREA. OF MY HEART, FELLINGS, BIBLE KNOWELEDGE, IDENTITY AND FINANCIAL.(SORRY ABOUT MY ENGLISH LANGUAGE 🙁

    • ronedmondson says:

      I'm certain God is working even during this time of your life. Your English is fine. God bless.

  • Kelly says:

    …The more I think about it, the more I realize that I really need this time, even though it feels long. I am so grateful that God has provided so amazingly, that I have a warm, peaceful, comfortable home for my daughter and I, and another teen-age girl who needed a place to stay, that we are close to the college that both my daughter and I are attending, that my car stays on the road, that my health is improving (I am chronically ill), that we are cared for financially, that after being thrown out of our home w/nothing but our clothes and our books, within weeks we had an affordable, fully furnished apartment to live in…God's provision has been endless and so, so loving. He is so good!!!!

  • Kelly says:

    Ron, I am definitely in a waiting period. I am separated from my husband, and while he is living just a few miles from me, I haven't talked to him for months. He is struggling w/anger and depression, and my daughter and I cannot be with him, as he is not safe. Still, I pray daily that God is working in his life. I have begun to pray lately that God would be preparing me for whatever is coming, whether it be a reconciliation or whether he demands a divorce, which I do not want. Either way, I want to react in Christ's love and peace. I am trusting that God is preparing me, and that even though I don't have a clue what is going on with him, God knows and is working. In the meantime, I am praying for healing, for strength, for God to remove the "trigger" buttons in my heart and spirit that my husband has used to frighten, anger and wound me. I am praying for wisdom, grace, gentleness, forgiveness, kindness, strength and supernatural love for my husband. And direction….

  • ronedmondson says:

    Thanks Uma. Good list

  • Ron! My add-ons to your list:

    •Accept God’s sovereignty
    •Refine ourselves using God’s standards
    •Hinge on hope rather than despair

  • Bryan
    Twitter:
    says:

    I am in a period of waiting. I am not a big fan of these periods, either! You pretty well covered the list, and what I want to add kind of combines some.

    Inflection. I find myself looking not only at the Master, but also at the servant. I don’t look at what I am doing or have done wrong, I look at what I have to offer and what more I can do to further that(Parable of the Gifts?).

    It seems that no matter what I learn, I need more! I find room FOR more! God is such an amazing Teacher!!

  • tabby2004 says:

    Awesome post, and it comes at the perfect time! I think I am definitely in a period of waiting, but since Sunday, I feel as though my eyes are slowly being opened again to what I need to do, or focus on, before I can hear God's answer(s) to my prayers…if that all makes sense.

    Thanks so much for this post and reminder of what I can be doing during the waiting!