GWIM Devotion: HEALING IN THE WAIT

There's Healing in the Wait By Olayemi Robinson

Scripture: James 1:3-4, "Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

Word For Today

The waiting room is a space filled with silence and quiet, sometimes echoing with whispers of words of reassurance. Just whispers.

And right there, the One who walks beside us whispers, 'I'm still here, waiting with you, and I'm still trusting.' Who could ever mistake waiting for child’s play? Try praying and waiting through a season that tests every ounce of your endurance.  Beloved, waiting truly is not easy, but God can be trusted. Without complete trust in God, the waiting season can be compromised. When we start losing our grip on God, waiting moves from being a time we grow spiritually to just making us anxious, doubtful, and stressed out, trying to fix everything ourselves. Instead of just trusting that His timing is best, we start trying to force things to happen, get tired of praying, and try to take control again. We forget that waiting doesn't mean a "no" from God; it's actually meant to build our patience. At the end of the day, a messy, untrusting wait just steals our peace, turning what could've been a really close time with God into an exhausting fight to stay in control.

Yes, we all wait for different things; it could be marital settlement, the gift of a child, financial freedom, a job, a scholarship, and others. All good and perfect gifts come from the Father above, in whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning (James 1:17). God wants to give you more than you are anticipating, and fulfil your desires.

I have thought about this lots of times, and all I could do was let out a deep sigh because I'm also in the waiting room. But I learnt something: While waiting, God isn't just preparing your miracle; He is preparing you for your miracle. We often think of waiting as time wasted, but God often uses the delay as a workshop for our hearts.

He wants you whole, so He is working on you, refining you, teaching you, stretching you, and strengthening you. In waiting, there is healing. You'll be amazed by your shaping when it is all over. You'll understand why it had to be that way and why you had to go through so much.

Abraham waited for God's promise for years, and through his journey, we can see his faith being tested, strengthened, and matured. Then there is Esther. While she waited, God prepared her character and positioned her for a purpose she probably could not have fully understood at the time. Through God's favour, she found her place in the king's heart and was positioned for something greater than herself. We see this exact process played out in the life of Joseph, too. Joseph spent roughly 13 years betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and forgotten in a dark Egyptian prison.

While the Bible doesn’t record every emotion, his internal restoration is evident. By the time he was elevated to second-in-command, God had healed his heart so completely that when he finally faced his brothers, he didn't seek revenge; he saw God's purpose and wept tears of reconciliation. The waiting room of prison was where God healed him from bitterness.

"God is wonderful to those who wait for him, to those who seek him out. It’s good to wait quietly for the help of God."-Lamentations 3:25-26. Your wait is not in vain. God is doing something in you while you wait for what He is doing for you. And when you finally come out of that waiting room, you'll come out transformed, a healed, whole woman after God's heart.

Prayer

Lord, You know how wearying the waiting can be. Forgive me for the moments when my anchor of faith slips, when I let anxiety take over, and when I foolishly try to take control of my own life. It is so hard to rest in Your sovereignty when I cannot see what You are doing behind the scenes.

Help me see this season not as a delay or a denial, but as a grace-filled space where You are refining my heart. When I am tempted to force outcomes or grow tired in my prayers, renew my strength. Guard my peace, refine me in this season, Lord, and draw me into a deeper, more intimate relationship with You as I learn to wait patiently on Your timing. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Our Guest's Bio

Olayemi Robinson

Olayemi is a writer, educator, and dedicated ministry volunteer. She is deeply passionate about using her writing to touch lives and bring people closer to God, viewing her craft as a true ministry rather than just a skill. Dedicated to helping others discover their true identity and grow in their faith, she loves pointing people back to God’s truth and encouraging them to step fully into the life He has called them to live. Connect with her online:

Facebook: @Olayemirobison