Waiting is Hard: 5 Tips to Waiting on God’s Best

Back when my daughter was 4, she said something to me one day that stunned and convicted me at the same time. She said, “mommy, waiting is hard.” Her statement came completely out of left field. I was thinking to myself, what does this child, this little person with only four years of life under her belt know about waiting? How does she know that waiting is so difficult? 

At the time I’d grown frustrated with waiting for God to send me my list man, you know, the one we pray for with 50 million traits and characteristics we’d like him to have. I’d been single for about as long as she’d been alive and yet, here she was, telling me about something I’d been dealing with and not doing a very good job at it. It had been so long that my prayers went unanswered, I started to believe they were falling on deaf ears. 

I thought, perhaps it’s not for people like me. Maybe it’s for everyone else, but not me. Maybe I’d be single forever and I just had to get used to that idea. The things the devil speaks to you when you’re discouraged. Just because God said not yet, doesn’t mean He said no. The enemy wants you to confuse God’s delay with a denial but don’t fall for the trap. It’s designed to take you to the edge of self-pity so you can fall into the pit of despair. 

 

“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.“

James 4:7, ESV

 

My daughter was right, waiting is hard, but it’s how you wait that makes all the difference. In the wait, there is so much to gain if you can look beyond what you see and do not yet have. Perfection takes time and God wants for you His best, but He also wants you to be His best for His best. Remember not to awaken love until the time is right (Song of Solomon 8:4, NLT). There are 4 tips that I learned on how to be successful during seasons of waiting and I’m excited to share those with you today.

 

1.  Resist the temptation to settle for mediocrity.

While I was waiting and praying, God wasn’t the only one listening to my petitions.  The enemy was too, and for every petition I made for my one, the devil sent me a counterfeit.  One after another, they came, resembling what I was praying for but lacking the substance to fit the bill.  There was always something that turned out to be wrong that showed me nope, he’s not the one. 

I could’ve gotten tired of taking the L and just settled for close enough and there were times I nearly did, but I learned from those same counterfeits, don’t be so fast to jump into something because you’re impatient. You just could be jumping into a sea of crazy! 

Never try to make what feels wrong right because it’s just a spiritual indication that it’s not right for you. The devil may try to convince you that this is as good as it gets and you may as well settle, but rebuke his lies and stand on God’s truth. 

I’ve seen countless women settle for married men, being the willing side piece, years of being a girlfriend and never a wife just to have somebody. Don’t be that chick. Never be so thirsty you’ll drink from anywhere only to still be left empty.

 

2.  Your attitude matters, get it in check.

Don’t you hate when you go to a restaurant and the server has a bad attitude from the moment you interact with her? You can’t serve or do anything and make a positive impact with a jacked-up attitude. It’s in our human nature to want to be in control of every situation, outcome, or result, but God makes us wait for His blessings to show us just how much we’re not in control and how we need Him daily. 

Grumbling, complaining, and whining does nothing but rob us of our peace, so why live miserable in the present just because you’re not in control of your future? Instead of waiting in fear or frustration, wait with an attitude of faith and watch to see what God will do.

 

3.  Be obedient to God’s call.

When we say we’re waiting on God, that is untrue. Many times, God is waiting on us. Waiting on us to do something that He’s told us to do but we’ve either procrastinated or refused to get moving. I remember back in 2012 when God gave me the idea to write my story. It took me years to get going.  I wanted to plan my own way and live a simple life with a husband and some kids, but God was calling me for much more than to just be somebody’s wife and mother. During my praying and waiting for that love I so desired, God spoke to me and asked, if I gave it to you now, would you do what I said? 

That convicted me because honestly, I probably would’ve never written my book or started this blog. They would’ve been pushed back for date nights and cuddle time. When you do what God wants, He’ll give you yours. What has God placed down in your spirit to do for Him that you’ve neglected?  You never know, your obedience to His calling just may lead you to exactly who you’ve been praying for. Blessings reside in obedience.

 

4.  Trust that God is working on your behalf.

It’s had to believe that anything is happening when you see nothing changing around you, however, we have to learn to see it before it appears.  You never know what kinks and details God is working out. The key is to have a heart of expectancy as it’s impossible to please God without faith. (Hebrews 11:6)  No matter how long it appears, if it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not delay (Habakkuk 2:3, NLT).

 

5.  Keep your thoughts and speech right.

Nothing kills your future faster than negativity in your mind and from your mouth. Discouragement is one of the many weapons the enemy uses whenever God seems to be taking too long to move. However, don’t let him place his thoughts in your head and make you speak your defeat. Instead, encourage yourself by getting the word in you. 

Remember, the tongue has the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21, NIV), and the thoughts you think can bring about your reality. Use these powerful tools to birth your future, not abort it.

 

Do you want a mediocre blessing or are you willing to wait on perfection? When you wait on God and stand on His word with a heart of expectancy, you demonstrate your faithfulness for which He will reward you with His. God is faithful and He will complete everything that He started. Wait with hope for the Lord (Psalm 27:14, GWT). 

 

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