Hope in the Waiting

“I set my eyes toward heaven, focusing not on what’s right in front of me, but on God’s plan for me and His kingdom.”

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Romans 12:12 ESV

In our lives, we will have many seasons of waiting. Waiting for major life changes, marriages, babies. Waiting for God to respond to prayers over negative health reports, situations and circumstances that need to change, loved ones you wish would find Jesus. Even waiting for material items, a new house, the perfect car or every day items like our latest Amazon delivery. 

My season of waiting is waiting to not feel like I’m drowning in motherhood. Waiting for all 4 of my kids to be mostly self-sufficient, waiting to be completely done with diapers. Waiting to get a full night’s sleep again. Waiting to not feel so overwhelmed that, by the time I crawl into bed at the end of the day, I have nothing left over for my husband. 

I know motherhood gets easier. Maybe easier isn’t the right word, but it changes to a place where I’m not needed for every thought my toddler has, where I don’t have to be available for every trip to the bathroom, and I’ll have more time to myself. I know because I’ve been there, before I had my third and fourth babies. But even if I hadn’t already experienced that, I would still know I have something to rejoice about in the midst of the chaos.

I have hope. I have hope that God won't leave me alone in my waiting. I have hope in a God that’s with me in every tribulation. I set my eyes toward heaven, focusing not on what’s right in front of me, but on God’s plan for me and His kingdom. 

In every season of waiting, we can rejoice, knowing that’s where we find our hope. We may not ever receive what our worldly desires are waiting for, but through Jesus we have hope in something better than anything this world can offer. Earlier in the same letter today’s verse comes from, Paul says “For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” (Romans 10:13)

This amazing news sustains through all of our seasons of waiting. God is with us, God has a plan that’s better than ours, and, when keep our eyes faithfully on Him, we get to have eternal life with Him. 

Action Steps:

• What waiting season are you in, mom friend? Reflect on how you’ve reacted to your waiting. Have you kept your focus on God? Have you allowed Him into your tribulations and patiently waited with joy and hope? (I think we’ve all struggled with this, it’s so hard when our earthly desires speak so loudly to us.)

• Re-read the last four words of today’s scripture. “Be constant in prayer.” Pray about everything. Go to God with every care, with every desire, with every emotion. Allow yourself to be led by Him through prayer. And don’t forget to spend time listening also. 

Prayer: God, I ask that You be with us in our seasons of waiting. We have so many desires for our lives and plans we want to fulfill, but we also know that Your plans are better than ours. Waiting is so hard, our hearts get so filled with desires that sometimes we lose focus of what’s important, which is our faith. Today we come to You, rejoicing in hope and patient in our tribulations. May our hope in You sustain us today, may we feel Your presence and know that You are with us and in control. In Your name we pray, Amen. 

Written by Cathrine, mom of 4, almost done with diapers

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