Goodness in the Waiting

Written By Jan Grubbs

The lyrics that have been playing in my mind are:

I’m waiting, I’m waiting on You Lord.

And I am hopeful.

I’m waiting on You Lord, though it is painful.

But patiently I will wait….[1]

I recently spoke at a women’s retreat where many women shared about how God answered their prayers. Of course, there were many prayers the Lord had not answered yet, but these women were expectantly waiting. 

“Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” - Psalm 27:4 NKJV

This scripture became very meaningful to me while I prayed for 30 years for my sister. My sister was not a believer, but she believed that doing good things would get her into heaven. When she received a fatal cancer diagnosis, my heart grew heavy—not only because she meant a lot to me, but also because I wanted to see her in eternity. The Lord finally opened a door for me to talk to her about Jesus, and she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior before she died. It was a great loss for family and friends, but an eternal reward for her. I am so grateful God answered my prayers. Waiting and praying all those years was difficult, but I knew I couldn’t give up. I also prayed for the Lord to heal her, but He healed her by taking her hand and leading her into eternity with Him. 

When you have prayed for something for a long time, it is hard to “stay the course,” especially when stumbling blocks come your way. Oftentimes, the Lord doesn’t answer as quickly as we want or as we’d like Him to.  When this happens, we must trust the Lord has plans for us that will come to pass in His perfect time. We can stand on His word and declare it to be true:

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” - Isaiah 40:31 ESV

Below are just a few of the many lessons we learn while we wait for His answers.  

1.     Waiting draws us closer to the Lord. "Draw near to me and I will draw near to you" (James 4:8 NKJV).

2.     Waiting refines. "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV).

3.     Waiting means we trust God. "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV).

4.     While we wait, He is shaping us into the character of Christ. "Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long" (Psalm 25:4-5 ESV).

5.     Waiting develops patience and perseverance. "Let all I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken” (Psalm 62:5-6 NLT).

6.     Waiting is humbling. "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:6-7 NIV).

7.     Waiting brings blessings. "All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 28:2 NIV).

8.     Waiting builds faith. "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10 NIV).

While you wait on God, remember He always wants what is best for you. If you learn to wait on His perfect timing, it will bring greater joy when His promises are fully realized.

“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.” - Lamentations 3:25 NKJV

Let’s pray:

Lord, Your goodness and mercy always follow me. You have proven this over and over again. As I wait on You for Your timing, give me peace beyond understanding and remind me of Your faithfulness to me. I admit it is hard, and I want to control things, but Your plans are always much better than mine. I release to You what I have been waiting for. I won’t fret, become anxious, or stress because You never leave me nor forsake me. Lord, You will receive the glory, and I will praise You regardless of how You answer. Thank You for loving me deeply. Amen.


[1] Waller, John. “While I’m Waiting.”  Fireproof: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Reunion Records, 2008. CD.

Jan Grubbs
I’m a Bible teacher, author, and speaker, and I am passionate about connecting women to Jesus.

When I was growing up, my dad used to say, “Every day is a new day to Jan,” and it’s true. No matter what happened the day before, every day is new to me. Like you, I’ve had some great highs and some very difficult lows. In those hard times, Jesus always holds and comforts me. 

If you would have told my mother I would become a writer, she would have gotten so tickled. She was a very particular English teacher, and everything I wrote made her want to pull her hair out! I was a “life is a bowl of cherries” kind of a girl. Fun, carefree, and the life of the party, I met my straight-laced, Baptist future husband at 18. We married at 20 and began going to church. I went through the motions, but I became a true believer at 24.

I love teaching women the Bible and seeing the light bulb come on. One time, I was preparing to speak to a group of women leaders, when I asked the Lord what to teach on. Immediately, He gave me the picture of us being the Bride of Christ. I am a hopeless romantic, so this spoke to my heart. I dove into studying Jesus as our Bridegroom, and it wooed me into a more intimate relationship with Him. 

My husband always says I am full of surprises. No one is as surprised as we are that I’m writing, but Jesus isn’t surprised. He took my love for Him, my love for the Word, my love for women, and turned it into this ministry.

Each of us has hidden qualities that Jesus is waiting to bring out. As you linger here and enjoy my writing, I hope you come to understand Jesus as your Bridegroom and the depth of love He has for you. 

Next

Beauty Arises from Darkness