Growing in the Waiting
Have you ever found yourself in a season of waiting? Maybe you're longing for a breakthrough, praying for direction, or simply hoping for things to change. Waiting can feel like wandering — exhausting and uncertain.
But Romans 8:25 (MSG) offers a different perspective:
“But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.”
That phrase — "We are enlarged in the waiting" — suggests that waiting isn’t wasted. In fact, it’s where we grow the most. God uses the waiting to stretch, shape, and strengthen us.
Let’s explore how God enlarges us through seasons of waiting using five S-words to help us remember.
1. Strengthened Through Patience
Waiting builds strength — not the kind we often think of, but a strength of spirit. Just like physical exercise strengthens our bodies, spiritual waiting strengthens our faith and endurance.
It’s in these moments we learn to rely on God instead of our own abilities. The strain may feel uncomfortable, but it’s producing resilience and perseverance.
James 1:4 (NIV) — “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
2. Stretched in Faith
Waiting stretches our faith. When answers don’t come right away, we’re faced with a choice — will we trust God or try to control the situation ourselves?
Each day of waiting is an opportunity to deepen our dependence on Him. The more we stretch our faith, the more we experience God’s faithfulness in return.
Isaiah 40:31 (NIV) — “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”
3. Shifted Perspective
In the waiting, God shifts our perspective from the temporary to the eternal. Our self-focused desires often lose their grip as we begin to see things through His eyes.
Waiting humbles us, reminding us that we are not in control — and that’s a good thing. God’s plans are greater than anything we could imagine, and waiting helps us align with His purpose.
Colossians 3:2 (NIV) — “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
4. Sharpened Character
God uses waiting to refine and sharpen our character. Patience, humility, and perseverance are formed in the delays. The person we become in the waiting is often far more important than the thing we’re waiting for.
Just as a diamond is shaped under pressure, our hearts are shaped through seasons of waiting. God is more concerned with who we are becoming than how quickly we get what we want.
Romans 5:3-4 (NIV) — “We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
5. Strengthened in Joyful Expectancy
One of the most beautiful transformations that happens in waiting is the growth of joyful expectancy. It’s the confidence that God is working even when we can’t see it.
This joy doesn’t come from wishful thinking — it’s rooted in the certainty of God’s promises. Just like an expectant mother grows in anticipation of her child’s arrival, we grow in hope, believing that God’s timing is perfect.
Psalm 27:14 (NIV) — “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
A Prayer for the Waiting Season
Lord, thank You for the ways You enlarge my heart in the waiting. Even when I don’t see the answers I long for, help me to trust that You are working for my good. Strengthen my patience, stretch my faith, and shift my perspective to see things as You see them. Sharpen my character, and fill me with joyful expectancy. I choose to wait with hope, knowing that Your timing is perfect. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Final Thoughts
Waiting is never easy, but it’s never wasted. God is using this season to grow you in ways you can’t yet see. One day, you’ll look back and realize that the waiting was a part of His plan all along — a necessary chapter in your story of faith.
So, take heart. You are being enlarged in the waiting.
Making It Personal
Where are you in a season of waiting? Reflect on what God may be teaching or growing in you during this time.
What fears or frustrations are you holding onto? Surrender them to God and ask Him to strengthen your faith.
How can you practice joyful expectancy? Choose to believe that even in the waiting, God is at work.
Share Your Story
Are you in a season of waiting right now? How has God stretched or strengthened you through it? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. And if this post encouraged you, consider sharing it with someone who may need a reminder that waiting is not in vain.
Keep growing. Keep believing. The best is yet to come.
