“But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.” – Isaiah 40:31
What Does The Bible Say About Waiting
The Bible teaches us that waiting is an important part of our faith journey. Waiting is not always easy, but it helps us to grow and trust in God’s plan for our lives. It reminds us that we are not in control and that God’s timing is perfect, even when we do not understand it.
When we wait, we learn to rely on God more than our own strength. Waiting gives us the chance to pray, to seek God’s guidance, and to prepare our hearts for what He wants to do in us and through us. It helps us to become patient and to develop a deeper faith that does not depend on immediate answers.
Sometimes, waiting feels like nothing is happening, but God is always working behind the scenes. He uses the waiting time to teach us, to shape us, and to make us ready for the blessings He has prepared for us. It is during the waiting that our trust in God grows stronger, and we become more aware of His presence in our lives.
The Bible shows us that waiting is not passive. While we wait, we are called to live faithfully, to serve others, and to stay hopeful. Waiting teaches us to focus on God and not on our own desires or plans. It helps us to surrender our worries and to believe that God knows what is best for us.
Waiting can be hard, but it is never wasted. God uses it to build our character, to strengthen our faith, and to remind us that His ways are always good.
Waiting on God’s Timing
Waiting on God’s timing is about trusting that He knows best, even when we cannot see His plans. It involves patience, faith, and the assurance that God is always working for our good, even when the outcome isn’t clear to us. The following Bible verses remind us of the strength and peace that come from waiting on His perfect timing.
Psalm 27:14
“Stay with God! Take heart. Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with God.”
Habakkuk 2:3
“This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.”
Ecclesiastes 3:11
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
James 5:7
“Meanwhile, friends, wait patiently for the Master’s Arrival. You see farmers do this all the time, waiting for their valuable crops to mature, patiently letting the rain do its slow but sure work.”
Romans 8:25
“But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.”
Micah 7:7
“But me, I’m not giving up. I’m sticking around to see what God will do. I’m waiting for God to make things right. I’m counting on God to listen to me.”
Trusting God in the Waiting Season
Trusting God during a waiting season can test our faith and resilience. It’s an opportunity to deepen our relationship with Him and rely fully on His wisdom and guidance. The following verses are reminders to hold on, lean into His promises, and rest in the knowledge that His plans are always good.
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.”
Isaiah 30:18
“But God’s not finished. He’s waiting around to be gracious to you. He’s gathering strength to show mercy to you. God takes the time to do everything right—everything.”
Psalm 33:20-22
“We’re depending on God; he’s everything we need. What’s more, our hearts brim with joy since we’ve taken for our own his holy name. Love us, God, with all you’ve got—that’s what we’re depending on.”
Jeremiah 29:11
“I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.”
Lamentations 3:25
“God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks.”
1 Peter 5:7
“Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.”
Finding Strength While Waiting
Finding strength in waiting means relying on God’s grace to sustain us, even when the wait is challenging. His strength is made perfect in our weakness, and He is faithful to carry us through every moment. These verses encourage us to seek His strength and stay strong in our faith as we wait.
Isaiah 40:31
“But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.”
Philippians 4:13
“Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.”
Psalm 46:1
“God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him.”
Exodus 14:14
“God will fight the battle for you. And you? You keep your mouths shut!”
2 Corinthians 12:9
“My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.”
Psalm 28:7
“God is all strength for his people, ample refuge for his chosen leader. Save your people and bless your heritage. Care for them; carry them like a good shepherd.”
Patience in Waiting
Patience is a virtue that is deeply tested when we are waiting, especially when it feels like God is silent. However, through patience, we learn to submit our will to God and trust that His timing is best. These Bible verses remind us of the blessings that come from patient endurance in times of waiting.
Galatians 6:9
“So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.”
James 1:4
“So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”
Psalm 37:7
“Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him. Don’t bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top.”
Romans 12:12
“Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant.”
Hebrews 10:36
“But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion.”
Psalm 130:5
“I pray to God—my life a prayer—and wait for what he’ll say and do.”
Peace in the Waiting Process
Finding peace while waiting is possible when we choose to trust God and cast our worries on Him. He provides a peace that surpasses understanding and guards our hearts and minds through every season. These verses help us embrace God’s peace and rest in His promises during times of waiting.
Philippians 4:6-7
“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.”
John 14:27
“I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft.”
Isaiah 26:3
“People with their minds set on you, you keep completely whole, steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don’t quit.”
Psalm 62:5-6
“God, the one and only—I’ll wait as long as he says. Everything I hope for comes from him, so why not?”
Colossians 3:15
“Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other.”
Isaiah 32:17
“The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.”
Growing in Faith Through Waiting
Waiting can be a transformative season where we grow in our faith, learning to depend on God more fully. During this time, we can develop a deeper understanding of His love, grace, and faithfulness. The following verses remind us to stay rooted in our faith as we wait for His timing and guidance.
Romans 5:3-4
“There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us.”
Hebrews 11:1
“The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
“So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace.”
James 1:2-3
“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.”
1 Peter 1:7
“Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine.”
Psalm 27:13-14
“I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness in the exuberant earth. Stay with God! Take heart. Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with God.”
Renewing Our Hope in God
Renewing our hope in God keeps us focused on His promises and strengthens our belief that He will fulfill His Word. Hope sustains us when the wait is long and difficult, reminding us of His faithfulness. These verses encourage us to place our hope fully in the Lord and trust in His plans.
Psalm 130:7
“O Israel, wait and watch for God— with God’s arrival comes love, with God’s arrival comes generous redemption.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8
“But blessed is the man who trusts me, God, the woman who sticks with God.”
Hebrews 6:19
“We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go.”
Psalm 42:11
“Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God— soon I’ll be praising again.”
Romans 15:13
“Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!”
Isaiah 40:31
“But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles.”
Learning to Surrender in the Wait
Surrendering to God while we wait is about releasing our desires and expectations into His capable hands. It’s trusting His will above our own, knowing that He has the best outcome in mind. The following verses inspire us to let go and allow God to guide us, especially in uncertain seasons.
Matthew 11:28-30
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life.”
Proverbs 16:3
“Put God in charge of your work, then what you’ve planned will take place.”
Psalm 37:5
“Open up before God, keep nothing back; he’ll do whatever needs to be done.”
1 Peter 5:6
“So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time.”
Matthew 6:33
“Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out.”
Psalm 46:10
“Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.”
Christian Quotes on Waiting
“Waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to God about it whenever it intrudes upon one’s thoughts.” – Elisabeth Elliot
“God’s time for mercy will come when it will best benefit us and His kingdom.” – Charles Spurgeon
“The waiting is just as much a part of God’s plan as the answer to the prayer.” – David Jeremiah
“To wait on God is to rest in His promise to be God.” – A.W. Tozer
“God’s delays are not God’s denials. His timing is always perfect, and His plans are beyond comprehension.” – John Piper
“Wait on God and let Him do His work. He will never disappoint you.” – Oswald Chambers
“There is a patience which is a profound strength, found only in waiting on God’s wisdom.” – Andrew Murray
“Those who wait on the Lord are like a tree planted by water, roots running deep into His strength.” – Charles Stanley
“The greatest things come to those who are patient enough to wait on God’s timing.” – Joyce Meyer
“Waiting is not an idle pause; it is a place of preparation where God is equipping us for what’s to come.” – Rick Warren
Final Thought
Waiting can be one of the most challenging aspects of our faith journey, but it is also where God often does His most transformative work. As we wait on Him, He renews our strength, deepens our trust, and prepares us for the fulfillment of His promises. May these verses and quotes remind you to find peace, patience, and renewed hope in every season of waiting.