During our recent Day 11 of the 50 Days to Pentecost journey, Hany Emmanuel shared a timely and encouraging message on the importance of waiting on the Lord. As he spoke, I was reminded again that waiting is often one of the most misunderstood seasons in the life of a believer.
Many people view waiting as delay, silence, or lack of progress. Yet in the Kingdom of God, waiting is often a sacred place where the Lord is doing some of His deepest work within us. There are seasons when we pray, believe, and sense that something new is ahead, yet the door has not opened. We may know that God has spoken promises over our lives, but the fulfillment seems to take longer than we expected. In those moments, it can be easy to grow discouraged or to feel forgotten.
Scripture reminds us, “We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.” Psalm 33:20. This kind of waiting is not passive, empty, or hopeless. It is waiting filled with trust. It is the posture of a heart that chooses to believe that God is still faithful, even when the timeline is unclear. It is the confidence that while we may not yet see movement with our natural eyes, the Lord is still working behind the scenes.
Often when we think God is delaying, He is actually preparing. He may be preparing circumstances, aligning relationships, or opening doors that cannot yet be seen. Many times, He is also preparing our hearts. The Lord is deeply concerned not only with where He is taking us, but with who we become along the journey.
There are things that can only be formed in us through waiting. Patience is strengthened, trust is deepened, character is refined, and dependence on the Lord becomes more real. Waiting has a way of revealing what we lean on, and it teaches us to return again and again to the presence of God rather than our own strength or understanding.
Throughout scripture we see many who walked through seasons of waiting. Abraham waited for the promise. Joseph waited through hardship before promotion came. David was anointed king long before he sat on the throne. The disciples waited in the upper room until the promise of the Holy Spirit was poured out. In every case, the waiting season was not wasted. What looked like delay became preparation.
Perhaps today you find yourself in such a season. You know God has placed something in your heart, yet the timing has not arrived. You have prayed, trusted, and wondered when the next step will come. Be encouraged. The Lord has not forgotten you. If He has called you to wait, then there is purpose in the waiting. He is your help and your shield. He is guarding what concerns you and shaping you for what is ahead.
At Christ For Your City, we have seen many times that God often works quietly before He works visibly. There are seasons where very little seems to be happening outwardly, yet beneath the surface the Lord is establishing something strong and lasting. Do not despise the hidden seasons, for sometimes the greatest preparation happens in places where no one else can see.
As we continue this journey toward Pentecost, may we learn again what it means to wait in hope. Not with frustration, but with expectancy. Not with fear, but with trust. The same God who asked you to wait is the God who knows exactly when the next door should open.
Click here to listen to Hany Emmanuel’s message from Day 11
A Prayer for You
Father, I pray for each person reading this today who finds themselves in a waiting season. Strengthen their heart and renew their hope. Where discouragement has tried to settle in, bring fresh faith.
Teach them to trust Your timing and to rest in Your faithfulness. Prepare their heart for all that You have ahead, and let this season become one of deep growth and intimacy with You.
Thank You that You are our help and our shield. We place our hope in You.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.