How We Can Trust God When He Answers Our Prayers With “Wait”

Pulling into the parking space, my red-rimmed eyes immediately latched onto the bumper sticker: Proverbs 3:4-5. Although I felt certain I knew it, I opened the Scripture on my Bible App:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart.
     and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,
     and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:4-5 NIV)

“Thank you, Lord,” I whispered. Making my way through the doors of the recreation center, I shook my head. With God, nothing is a coincidence.

Just minutes before, I had poured my heart out to a trusted friend. “What’s the point of dangling hope in front of me, if only to snatch it away moments later?” I wailed. 

Only one day earlier life felt brimming with promise. For years I prayed for God to provide in a specific situation. At long last, it seemed He would grant my request. But a recent conversation had dashed that hope, leaving me heartsick (Proverbs 13:6).

I know God isn’t cruel. But in moments like these, I find it hard to understand Him. What good can come from instilling hope, and then taking it away?

I’ve learned God always answers prayers. Sometimes with “Yes”, sometimes with “No”. But oftentimes with “Wait”. I rejoice with the ‘yeses’. I can accept the “nos”. But I struggle with the “waits”. I want to trust and wait on the Lord. I just don’t want the wait to be long.

I wish I knew the answers to life’s tough questions. But even though I sometimes push back against God, I’ve come to accept this truth:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
     neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8 NIV)

As my friend faithfully reminded me, we only see pieces of the picture; God sees it all. He acts with knowledge I don’t have. Faith means trusting in His goodness, even when I can’t see it (Hebrews 11:1). 

Without a doubt, God wanted me to work on trusting Him. In the waiting. In the unknown. In the frustration.

So as I swam my laps, I repeated this prayer: I will trust you with all my heart. I will submit my ways to you. Physically spent, I finally pulled myself out of the pool. But in the process, my heart had finally found peace.

Returning home, I received surprising news. All hope hadn’t been lost after all. There remains a glimmer of possibility of my desired outcome. But in my newly surrendered state, I remain cautiously hopeful while I wait for God to unveil His plans.

Wherever life’s journey takes me, I pray to trust the One who sees the whole picture. Wherever your journey takes you, I pray you can do the same.