"I love waiting!" Not many people, if any, would ever say this. On the contrary, long seasons of waiting leave our hearts tangled up in frustration and crying out, "When God, when?" We stubbornly throw little tantrums as if we are three again, all because we're weary and worn out from the wait. In past seasons of waiting, my eagerness and readiness for the next chapter of life to start have often left me feeling hurt and disappointed. As God whispers, daughter, wait!

We may not understand why God has us wait, but we can take comfort in knowing that he wastes nothing, not even our seasons of delay. Instead, God uses those seasons to cultivate our hearts to trust him more deeply. In turn, if we embrace the waiting and allow God to finish his work in our hearts, we'll understand why the wait was necessary. We'll be at peace because God has brought clarity to our situation. It may be that God intended to build your character during the wait so that you'll be ready to embrace the opportunity he has presented to you when the answer comes.

How do we wait well when the desires of our hearts do not currently align with the reality of our lives?

We Need to Be Active in Our Pursuit of Holiness

It's no surprise that the world gives holiness a bad rap. Today's digital and materialistic culture tells you to do things your way, to live the way you want, and indulge in selfish desires. The world's motto is, "just live your truth." But a life focused entirely on self is no life at all. There is only one TRUTH and one LIFE to live, and God's Word is where we find it! The Bible tells us that our heavenly Father is holy and that our lives are to reflect his character and values (1 Peter 1:15).

One way we can imitate God is to pursue godliness in what we expose ourselves to, whether on Social Media, the books we read, the movies we watch, or how we treat others. Don't be deceived! What you expose yourself to and the info you put into your mind will affect how you think and live. So if you want to understand your true life's purpose, begin exposing yourself to things that honor God. Make a decision today to replace your old worldly habits with God-honoring ones. If you haven't already, be intentional to spend time in fellowship with other Christian women, prayerfully read your Bibles weekly, both privately and with other believers, and look for ways to meet the needs of those in your church, family, and community. So don't be idle in your season of waiting; instead, pursue holiness. Be the salt and light to those around you!

God is Always Working Even While We Wait

The story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the grave stirs in the hearts of many as a triumphant proclamation, "I knew God would do it, and I know he will do it again!" But before this miraculous victory took place in Lazarus' life, there was a waiting period. This delay period seemed like a broken promise to Lazarus' family as their hearts mourned over his illness and what appeared to be a loss of all hope.

To give you some background, Jesus was close friends with Mary and Martha, Lazarus' siblings. When Lazarus became sick, his sisters knew Jesus would heal their brother because they were friends and had witnessed many of his divine works of power. So why would God withhold from them? Well, as the story goes, Jesus doesn't immediately go and heal him. Instead, he stays away for TWO more days and then goes to heal Lazarus. By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had gone from sick to death. So why did Jesus wait? Because he wanted to teach a crucial lesson: He is the resurrection and the life! Death is not the end. Jesus will be the first to rise from the dead and make it possible for all who believe to be resurrected to new everlasting life! I cannot help but relate their wait to my own waiting for deliverance, breakthrough, healing, and dreams to become a reality. Don't give up during your waiting seasons. Like the story of Lazarus, God has a reason for the wait (Read John 11: 1-44).

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God Has Not Forgotten You; He Hears Your Prayers

In the waiting, we can feel lonely, overlooked, and forgotten. The long days of praying without relief can leave us confused and wondering if God hears us. When Jesus stood in front of Lazarus' tomb, he prayed before he even told Lazarus to rise. He thanked God for hearing him and for always hearing him. When we pray in Jesus' name, God is faithful to hear us. His answer may not come when we want, and his answer may be different than expected. But he always responds in perfect timing and always gives us what we need!

Remember, God is working behind the scenes even if we have waited long, and there seems to be no answer. Be encouraged and filled with hope today that God always hears the prayers of his beloved daughters. He is working all things out for the glory of his name and your good. Let's focus on that eternal promise instead of our temporary irritations. Take heart and be encouraged that God has not forgotten about you!

John 11:41-42 - "So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

Jesus was never worried about anything, let alone the wait. His utmost desire was to give God glory in everything he did. He knew his Father heard his request about Lazarus because of their great love as Father and Son. And as God's beloved daughters, he hears us too!

Friend, be encouraged today with this: Even in our seasons of waiting, we can wait well by pursuing holiness, trusting that the Holy Spirit is always at work in our lives, and knowing that our heavenly Father has not forgotten about us. Why? Because of the new life and identity we've received through faith in Christ.