The Waiting Isn’t Wasted

Lately, there's been one word that I can't seem to shake:

Suddenly.

It's been showing up in my quiet time, in conversations, in sermons, and somehow even in the random thoughts I jot down throughout the day. The more I've paid attention to it, the more I've realized I don't think it's a coincidence.

I think God has been trying to remind me of something.

We serve a God of suddenly.

Not suddenly in the sense that He moves without purpose, but suddenly in the way that He can change everything in a moment after what feels like a lifetime of waiting.

One of the verses I've been meditating on lately is Isaiah 60:22:

"When the time is right, I, the Lord, will make it happen."

I've probably read that verse dozens of times before, but lately I've found myself lingering there a little longer.

When the time is right.

Those five words have challenged me more than I expected.

Because if I'm honest, I've spent a lot of time asking God when.

When will this prayer be answered?

When will this door open?

When will I meet my husband?

When will I finally feel like I'm walking in everything He's called me to?

Maybe you've asked those same questions too.

But somewhere along the way, my prayers started changing.

Instead of asking, "God, when?"

I started asking, "God, if You answered this prayer tomorrow...would I actually be ready?"

That question has been sitting with me for weeks.

Because the truth is, I don't just want what I've been praying for—I want to be able to steward it well.

I don't want to arrive at the next season wishing I had taken this one more seriously.

So that's what this season has become for me.

Preparation.

Not because I think I can earn God's blessings by working harder, but because I believe preparation is an act of faith. It's believing that what God has promised is worth getting ready for before I ever see it.

That's looked different in every area of my life.

Spiritually, I've been slowing down.

I'm spending more time in God's presence, not because I'm checking something off my to-do list, but because I genuinely want to know Him more deeply. I've realized I never want to become so focused on what I'm believing God for that I lose sight of the One I'm believing in.

Mentally, I've been paying closer attention to the stories I tell myself.

I've been choosing peace a little more intentionally. Guarding what I consume. Letting Scripture speak louder than fear. It's not something I get right every day, but it's something I'm committed to.

Physically, I've been taking better care of myself.

If you've followed me for a while, you know this has been a journey. I'm moving my body more, making healthier choices, and learning to see taking care of myself as stewardship instead of punishment. I want to feel strong, healthy, and ready for whatever God places in front of me.

Emotionally, God has been doing some deep work.

Healing isn't nearly as glamorous as social media makes it seem. Sometimes healing is quiet. Sometimes it looks like forgiving again. Sometimes it looks like sitting with God long enough for Him to gently uncover something you've been carrying for years.

And financially, I've been asking myself what it looks like to be faithful now.

Not when there's more.

Now.

Because stewardship starts long before abundance ever arrives.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says,

"He has made everything beautiful in its time."

Not my time.

His.

I've been reminding myself that just because I can't see everything God is doing doesn't mean He isn't working.

Habakkuk 2:3 has been another anchor for me:

"Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay."

That verse has such a different meaning when you really sit with it.

Something can feel delayed to us while still arriving exactly on time according to God's plan.

I needed that reminder.

Maybe you do too.

One of my favorite examples of this is in Acts 2.

Jesus told the disciples to wait.

He didn't tell them how long.

He didn't give them a countdown.

He simply told them to remain faithful.

So they prayed.

They waited.

They trusted.

And then...

"Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven..." (Acts 2:2)

I've thought about that "suddenly" so much lately.

It wasn't random.

It was the fulfillment of a promise.

Maybe that's what our "suddenly" moments really are—not random blessings that fall from the sky, but promises meeting God's perfect timing.

Psalm 105 reminds us that God remembers His covenant forever.

That means He hasn't forgotten what He spoke over your life.

He hasn't forgotten your prayers.

He hasn't forgotten your tears.

And He certainly hasn't forgotten you.

So maybe this season isn't one to rush through.

Maybe it's one to embrace.

Maybe while we're waiting for God to move, He's inviting us to move too.

To grow.

To heal.

To trust.

To become.

Because one day your suddenly will come.

And when it does, I hope you'll look back on this season and realize it wasn't empty after all.

It was preparing you.

The waiting wasn't wasted.

It was becoming.