Written by Karen Robin Paul

 

I don’t know about you, but I find Waiting on God to be really tough and challenging. The long delays and powerlessness create this uncomfortable tension. We live in a such a fast-paced culture and society, where the concept of waiting feels almost alien.

In today’s world, everything is engineered for immediacy: swipe for food in minutes, refresh for instant updates, skip intros, binge whole seasons overnight, get same-day delivery, AI answers in seconds. We've optimised away so many natural pauses that when one appears such as waiting in a queue at the doctor's office or relationship/career timelines, it can feel wrong. Sometimes straight-up unbearable.

I’m certain that waiting on the Lord can really test your faith, especially if you’ve decided to make the choice and step into the world of missions! The longing and anticipation of which new country to serve in or waiting as you ask God to reveal himself to people you are ministering to, can really be a lot of hard work and perseverance.

Growing up, patience was something I found quite challenging—and to be honest, there are still moments when waiting feels like a struggle. I love the sense of relief that comes when my to-do list is complete, and everything goes according to plan. When my timelines align with my expectations and everything gets done well and on time, it brings a genuine smile to my face.

But I’ve learned that God doesn’t operate like that. When you’re holding onto a list of prayer requests or facing important life decisions, waiting on Him can feel overwhelming and frustrating. Here are a few things to keep in mind during ‘gap moments’; those seasons when we’re waiting for answers to prayer or for others to act.

1. Press on through the tension

I can’t help but feel a bit hypocritical as I write this, but this uncomfortable feeling of waiting on God is quite normal.

When I was younger, I loved going to the movies—and to be fair, I still do. But there was something especially thrilling back then about walking into the cinema, a large tub of popcorn in hand, watching my favourite actors on a massive screen. The problem was, when it came to buying tickets, I always wanted to go as soon as a film was released, rarely considering the rest of my family’s needs. I simply hated waiting. The fear of spoilers or missing out on something exciting only made my impatience grow.

The point I’m trying to get at is, many of us are surprised by the tension that waiting brings. Too often, we waste these moments by resisting or resenting the helplessness we feel. The first step is to embrace—even normalise—this inner struggle. Instead of reacting with anxiety or resistance, we can receive the tension as a natural and even necessary part of waiting.

2. Steer clear of the pitfalls

Too often, we squander seasons of waiting through unhelpful or even sinful responses. The loss of control stirs knee-jerk reactions, and our deep desire for change can easily pull us into unhealthy pitfalls:

Anger: The Gospel Coalition says this “Waiting and anger go together. Sometimes it looks like an obvious blow-up, but other times it can settle into a low-grade frustration. Sinful anger is our attempt to regain control through rash action.” As I look back on the cinema incident, I can see that my anger stemmed from wanting everything to happen on my terms and in my timing.

Anxiety: While anger drives us to act, anxiety pulls us into overthinking. Instead of blowing up, we turn inward—overthinking until we’re drained. We try to reason our way out of what we cannot control.

And finally, Indifference: Anger and Anxiety have a way of expressing themselves externally and internally, but Indifference is to stop caring at all. When hard moments happen in our lives, being indifferent to the circumstances around us sometimes feels the most comfortable, almost denying reality.

Anticipating these pitfalls early on helps avoid our default reactions to the frustration of waiting and steward seasons of waiting well.

3. Direct your heart wisely

When we wait on the Lord, its often for answers we have no control over. Career milestones, marriage, or some other desires you might have. The lack of control drives us to fall into sinful pitfalls (as mentioned in my second point). But the Lord says in Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. And in Psalm 27, it begins with “The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?”

We will never know God’s mind or timing, but what he reveals through the scripture is to set our mind and heart on him. Waiting on God means learning to rest in what is true about Him when everything else feels uncertain. It means fixing my heart on His character—who He is, what He is like, and why He is trustworthy—even in life’s tensions.

Psalm 27 ends with, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

So, the next time you’re facing a difficult waiting season, whether it is on the mission field or not, remember to avoid unnecessary pitfalls and look to Christ. He is your answer, your rest, and the treasure you seek.

Let me leave you with the words of Susannah Spurgeon, wife of Charles Spurgeon:

 

"The Lord has strewn the pages of God’s Word with promises of blessedness to those who wait for Him. And remember, His slightest Word stands fast and sure; it can never fail you. So, my soul, see that you have a promise underneath thee, for then your waiting will be resting and a firm foothold for your hope will give you confidence in Him who has said, ‘They shall not be ashamed that wait for Me.'"