5 Powerful Principles for Waiting in Hope (Hope Series)
Let’s be honest, none of us likes to wait. It’s not that we’re impatient people necessarily, but waiting tests our resolve. Whether you’re waiting for a relationship fix, a spouse, healing, or a new job, delayed answers can derail our faith if we allow it to. Do you ever wonder why waiting is necessary in the first place? If you’re a Christian, you’ve probably heard scriptures like, “They that wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). That can be a hard pill to swallow when doubt and disappointment are constant companions.
Why We Need to Wait on God
I believe God intentionally requires us to wait for a few reasons:
- Waiting builds patience.
James 1:3 reminds us that “the trying of your faith works patience.” Patience is like a muscle. The heavier the weight, the stronger it gets.
- Waiting causes us to appreciate the answer more.
Instant gratification does not build maturity. When we have to wait on something, the payoff is often much sweeter.
- Waiting tests our motives.
Have you ever forgotten about something you were waiting for or, maybe when you were about to receive it, you realized you didn’t even want it? As we wait, our true desires become clearer.
- Waiting reveals the proper season.
Here’s the truth: sometimes it’s just not your season. As you wait in hope, you will begin to appreciate God’s timing all the more.
Now we see some reasons why we wait, but how are we supposed to wait in hope the right way?
5 Principles for Waiting in Hope
To keep it easy, and because I grew up a good Baptist girl, I’m giving you “5 P’s” for waiting in hope:
- Be prayerful – Prayer is the key to keeping your heart soft and yielded. Pray for yourself. Pray about your situation. Matthew 6:8 reminds us that “God knows what you need before you even ask him.” That’s not an invitation to passivity; it’s an invitation to partner with God in prayer.
- Be positive – Be careful with your thoughts and your talk. You don’t want to uncover or nullify what you’re praying about with negative, faithless talk. Mind your mind! Don’t allow yourself to become cynical or hopeless. Think on these things (Philippians 4:8).
- Be purposeful – As you wait, find something to do. Don’t sit idly by waiting for life to happen to you. Get involved in the process. Study, serve, connect with the right people, and act as if the answer is on the way.
- Be patient – Patience is a virtue and it’s one of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Waiting is one of God’s ways of maturing us.
- Be prepared – There’s a story that Jesus tells in Matthew 25:1-14 about the 10 Virgins. The moral of the story is that when the much-anticipated “answer” came, 5 of the 10 were unprepared and therefore shut out of the promise.
I can recall a time or two when I, too, was unprepared for my answer when it finally came. I link to that story in the links section below.
Friend, I know waiting is hard. But I pray this episode will help you to wait in hope. God loves you. He knows what’s best for you, and he will answer you at the appointed time.
Links Mentioned in this Episode
- My Story of Being Unprepared While Waiting
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