8 Verses and Prayers for Seasons of Waiting
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Life is full of waiting.
Waiting to graduate. Waiting for a promotion. Waiting to get married. Waiting to start a family. Waiting for results. Waiting to see if treatment works. Waiting to hear from a loved one. Waiting for a court date. For an adoption date. Waiting to retire. And on and on the waiting goes.
God made our world to exist bound by the confines of space and time, which made waiting inevitable. We cannot skip ahead or rewind. All we have is the present moment, and we must embrace the journey from here to the places we hope to go in the future. God must have a purpose in all this waiting, but waiting well is rarely easy for us. We are impatient creatures, always reaching into the future before learning the lessons of today.
Thankfully, his word is full of encouragement and promises for the waiting seasons. He promises to bless us, strengthen us, sustain us, to show us his goodness, to give us rest, and so much more as we wait on his plan to unfold. Here are some verses and prayers we can lean on when the waiting gets tough and our hearts are in need of encouragement.
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1. God, Strengthen Us While We Wait
“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).
Father,
Without you, we are weak. We are impatient. We have a limited perspective and struggle to see the big picture. We ask that while we wait, you strengthen us. Lift our eyes so we can see Heaven. Give us the perspective we need to endure this season. Offer us the rest we need in this moment, while the waiting feels heavy, exhausting, and unending. Hold our hands and propel us forward step by step. Keep us from fainting. Be our supernatural strength. We need you, Jesus.
Amen.
2. God, Bring Goodness Even in the Waiting
“I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:13-14).
God,
I desire to see your goodness come to pass here in the land of the living. Here in the waiting, things feel uncertain. I feel scared and unsure how your light will bring a breakthrough. My soul struggles to remain hopeful as I walk through these difficult days, but Lord, I know you promise that we will taste and see your goodness in our lives. Help my heart to be filled with courage. Allow me to cling to your promises as I navigate the unknown.
I believe Jesus, that you will bring me through this. Help my unbelief! Help my soul to appreciate the goodness that exists even in the waiting. To not be so preoccupied with the future that I don’t remain present in the now. Help me to remain faithful to you in the waiting.
Amen.
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3. God, Bless Me in the Waiting
“Therefore, the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18).
God,
I thank you that you promise to bless those who wait on you, who trust that you will bring justice. You will show mercy on your people. Your plan and purposes will be revealed in time. Offer your grace for this waiting season. Help me to find rest even in the unknown. Help me to trust you even as my soul longs for change, for an outcome, for resolution. God, bring your justice to pass. Bless me and my circumstances in the waiting.
Amen.
4. God, Bring My Salvation
“But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me” (Micah 7:7).
God,
I look to you alone as my salvation. As I sit in this season, I know you alone are able to meet my needs. To provide the necessary miracle. No other power can bring the hope, healing, and comfort my heart needs. I wait for you to bring my salvation. I am waiting for you to come through for me!
I thank you that you hear my prayers. You are faithful to respond to my needs. You have not forgotten me. Even though I can’t see what the future holds, I can trust you as the author of my story. Show me your ways through this journey that I am on.
Amen.
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5. God, Still My Heart
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!” (Psalm 37:7).
God,
I feel restless in the waiting. I feel unsure what the future will hold. I am afraid of what might come next. Still my heart. Give me the patience I need to persevere. Allow me the fortitude I need to trust you even in this. As I rest in the quiet, cover me with your love. Fill this space with your presence. Assure my heart that the best is yet to come. Teach me how to trust you through this season of waiting. Show me how to rest in the knowledge that you will care for me when things feel uncertain and when the outcome is unknown.
Amen.
6. God, Be My Hope
“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him” (Psalm 62:5).
“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you” (Psalm 33:20-22).
God,
You alone are my hope! As I wait, I remember your goodness and mercy. I remember all the ways you have shown me that you love me. I silence the noise in my head and in my life and choose to meditate on your goodness, your faithfulness, and your love. You are my help. Help me now as I struggle through this season. Help me cling to you and persevere. Cover me under your wings. Show me your steadfast love. I trust in your holy name.
Amen.
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7. God, Give Me Patience
“The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:25-26).
“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:25).
Father,
You say it is good to wait on you. Remind my soul that you are teaching me so much in the waiting season. You do not waste any of our stories. You don’t leave our pain; you use it for your glory. Help me to be patient and not take matters into my own hands. Help me to seek your face and ask for your wisdom. Show me how to be an example to others as I navigate the unknown. Strengthen my love for you. Help me to move at your speed and not at the speed of my anxiety. Give me patience.
Amen.
8. God, Lead Me in Your Truth
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).
“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 25:5).
God,
Lead me through this valley. Show me your truth and teach me as I walk through the chaos of life. Help me to remember that the suffering of now does not compare to the glory to come. You are a giver of good gifts. You have not forgotten me. Help me not to grow weary in doing good. Help me run this race to completion well. Reveal your truth through this journey.
Amen.
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