Living In The Waiting

I remember talking with a minister who had been faithfully serving as an associate pastor for a long time. He wasn’t the type of guy that was self-promoting. He wasn’t out there pushing for attention. He was the steady guy you could always count on. But over the years, he started to feel like others were being moved forward while he stayed where he was. He told me, "Sometimes I wonder if people just don’t see me… if maybe I missed my moment."

There was no bitterness in his words, just honesty. He wasn’t trying to make something happen out of frustration. He was just wrestling with that quiet question many of us face at some point: "Did I get passed by?"

Waiting can feel like wandering. The days blur together with no big news, no clear breakthroughs. But it’s in this very space, the in-between, where our faith is refined and our trust is tested.

Psalm 27:14 says, "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!" (NKJV). David repeats the call to wait, not once but twice. And nestled between the command is a promise. He will strengthen your heart.

That’s what we need in the waiting, isn’t it? Not just answers, but strength. Courage to trust God even when the outcome isn't visible yet.

The space between promise and fulfillment can feel like a valley. But valleys are where roots grow deep. It is where character is built, humility is formed, and dependence on God becomes real. If you're a leader, you know this tension all too well. You're called to hold vision, speak hope, and lead with faith, even when you yourself are waiting.

Here are three practices that help in the waiting:

1. Honest Prayer
   Talk to God like you talk to a friend. Tell Him your fears, frustrations, and what feels heavy. Pour it out and let Him fill you back up.

2. Anchor to Scripture
   Find verses that speak life into your season and hold onto them. Say them out loud. Write them down. Let them be the voice that drowns out doubt.

3. Share the Load
   Don’t wait alone. Invite someone into your story, a trusted friend, a mentor, someone who will remind you that God’s timing is still good.

The enemy loves to whisper that delay means denial. But that’s not how God works. Sometimes the greatest things He’s preparing for us take time, not because we’re forgotten, but because He’s forming us for something deeper.

If you're in the in-between right now, hear this. God hasn’t overlooked you. He hasn’t passed you by. He’s preparing you.

Prayer: Lord, I don’t always understand the waiting. Some days it’s hard to keep believing when nothing seems to be moving. But I know You see me. Strengthen my heart today. Help me trust You more than I trust my own timeline. Teach me to wait with hope, walk with faith, and lead with humility, even when I can’t see what’s next. In Jesus’ name, Amen.