Are you needing some Bible verses about waiting on the Lord to meditate on during your season of waiting?
Waiting on the Lord isn’t easy for most of us. We want to trust in God’s plans for our lives and rest in him while we wait for him to move; however, this waiting is often challenging.
Meanwhile, God’s Word has a great deal to say about waiting on him. We are told to keep working while we wait for his perfect plans to unfold in our lives.
God also wants us to wait with hope. We can trust that his plans for us are good, and he is capable of working all things for the good of those who love him (see Romans 8:28).
Perhaps you need God to strengthen you while you keep waiting for him to move or answer your prayers.
Maybe you’ve been waiting for him to bring a dream to pass in your life, and you’re growing weary from waiting.
Don’t lose heart. God hasn’t missed a moment of your journey, and you can trust that he will move when the time is right.
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Bible Verses About Waiting on the Lord
God’s Word reminds us that his ways are not our ways, and his thoughts are not our thoughts.
As we wait for God to move, it can be helpful to remind ourselves that as the heavens are higher than the earth, God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours.
While we wait, God encourages us to take courage and trust him.
Instead of relying on human intellect and understanding, we are to look to him, stay close to him, and have faith in him.
Let’s look at what Scripture says about waiting on the Lord.
Psalm 27:14
“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 27:14 ESV
Times of waiting can be discouraging. For this reason, God’s Word reminds us to be strong while we wait on the Lord.
Waiting requires courage. Instead of acting on our human impulses, God calls us to take courage and watch for him to move when the time is right.
We can trust that God will open doors of opportunity and answer our prayers in his perfect timing.
Psalm 130:5
“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.” Psalm 130:5
God calls us to put our hope in his Word during times of waiting. Most of us feel tempted to put our hope in the time when our waiting is over.
We hope for the days when our dreams finally come to life, our loved ones are healed, the perfect spouses come along, or the right jobs arise.
Meanwhile, God asks us to place our hope in his Word—and his presence with us—not in the fulfillment of our dreams and desires.
God is capable of fulfilling every dream he places on our hearts; however, he wants us to put our hope in him, not in the fulfillment of our dreams.
Galatians 6:9
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
New endeavors often feel exciting at first. Starting a new job, launching a new ministry, or volunteering somewhere new usually feels life-giving and hopeful.
However, all new endeavors eventually grow old when we stick with them long enough. For this reason, the Apostle Paul reminds us not to grow weary in doing good.
While we wait for God to open new doors of opportunity in our lives, we are blessed by continuing to work hard right where we are.
Micah 7:7
“But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” Micah 7:7
This beautiful verse reminds us that the same God who purchased our salvation at the cross hears us when we cry out to him.
Are you tired from waiting on the Lord?
Resist the urge to turn away from him in offense.
Instead, run to him and ask him to help you grow in faith. Pour your heart out to him, and he will hear your prayer.
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Do you feel weary from trying to figure out how to move beyond your waiting season?
Maybe you’ve been trying to kick open a new door of opportunity or bring your dream to pass in your human strength.
There is a time to act; however, there is also a time to be still and wait for the Lord. God reminds us to trust him and resist the urge to rely on human reasoning.
When we learn to trustfully pursue his presence in all of our moments, he makes our paths straight and clear.
Psalm 40:1
“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.” Psalm 40:1
In this Psalm of David, David writes that as he waited on the Lord, the Lord heard his cry.
God then lifted David out of a pit of despair and planted his feet on a firm foundation.
We can trust that God will work in this same way in our lives.
Wait patiently for the Lord. Cry out to him and trust that he will hear your cry.
God is capable of pulling you from distress in an instant.
1 Peter 5:6-7
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7
God often allows trials in our lives because he is helping us develop character and grow in maturity.
These trials are usually painful, and we often fail to grasp God’s purpose while we are suffering.
Meanwhile, God promises that he will lift us from even the most painful trials in his appointed time.
As you wait for God to remove a trial in your life, keep trusting that he will use your difficult situation for good. God wastes nothing.
Isaiah 30:18
“Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.” Isaiah 30:18
God blesses those who learn to wait for him. This is a wonderful promise for those who feel weary from waiting on God.
Instead of scrambling to force outcomes in your life, remember that God is waiting to be gracious to you.
He wants to show mercy to you. Keep your eyes open for his blessings because he blesses those who wait for him.
James 5:7
“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.” James 5:7
Farmers know that it takes time for their seeds to sprout and produce a harvest. In the same way, James reminds us to wait on the Lord’s timing.
We can trust that as we wait on God, he is working in unseen realms.
Just as we don’t see the way a seed breaks open and sprouts from the ground, God often works in our lives in hidden ways.
Psalm 31:24
“Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!” Psalm 31:24
The heart refers to the emotional center of a person’s being.
Our hearts often need God’s strength and courage during times of waiting because our emotions can feel overwhelming.
Do you feel distraught, discouraged, or hopeless as you wait on God?
Remind your heart—your emotions—to be strong and take courage.
By the power of the Holy Spirit, God is moving in ways you cannot see with your eyes. Let God’s good courage strengthen you.
Psalm 27:13
“I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!” Psalm 27:13
This Psalm reminds us that our hope for God’s goodness is not reserved for eternal life in heaven.
Instead, God wants us to hold onto hope that we will see his goodness while we are still living on earth.
Don’t lose heart as you wait on the Lord. He is waiting to reveal himself to you here on earth. Keep watching for him!
Exodus 14:13
“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today.” Exodus 14:13
Moses spoke these words to God’s people as they fled from the wicked schemes of the Egyptians.
These words are encouraging for us when we feel hopeless, too.
Instead of giving way to fear, we are called to stand firm and watch for God’s deliverance.
Our loving heavenly Father delights to work in our lives and deliver us from every evil attack and defeating situation.
Galatians 5:5
“For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.” Galatians 5:5
God has revealed his righteousness through Jesus, his Son. He also calls us to hold onto our faith and wait for the hope of his righteousness.
Our hope of righteousness refers to the day of judgment when God will declare us righteous because of our faith in Christ.
Ask God to empower you through the Holy Spirit and enable you to cling to the hope of righteousness by faith.
Place all of your hope in Jesus as you trust that Jesus gives you right standing before God—now and for eternity.
Titus 1:1-2
“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.” Titus 1:1-2
This powerful verse reminds us of our hope in eternal life.
God promises that those who receive Jesus as Lord and Savior have this hope of eternal life with him.
Eternal life begins the moment we receive Jesus as Savior and continues throughout eternity in heaven.
Do you need hope? Cling to the hope of eternity with God.
When your whole being waits with longing to encounter God face-to-face, your hope will not let you down.
Psalm 98:1
“Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.” Psalm 98:1
In addition to working while we wait on the Lord, God invites us to worship while we wait.
When we lift our spirits in worship to God, he does a good work in our hearts.
Worship pushes out the negative emotions we are feeling, and hope arises. A worshipful heart is the perfect posture to take when waiting on God.
Psalm 145:15
“The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.” Psalm 145:15
This Psalm is a helpful promise for the times when we doubt God’s provision. God provides for us when the time is right, and we can trust that he won’t let us down.
Have you been waiting for God to provide for you financially or in some other way?
Remind yourself that God gives all of his children everything they need in due season.
He will meet your needs in his perfect timing.
Matthew 26:42
Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” Matthew 26:42
Before he died on the cross, Jesus prayed these words.
Jesus wasn’t doubting God’s plan or questioning the purpose of the Lord; instead, he earnestly requested a change of plans if it was possible.
As you wait on the Lord, remember that the Kingdom of God does not always operate in a way that makes sense to the human mind.
When God asks you to walk through the refining fire, you can trust that he will be with you, and he will fulfill his purpose for you.
Jude 1:21
“Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” Jude 1:21
The Word of the Lord also reminds us to keep ourselves in the love of God while we wait for him.
This includes spending time reading our Bibles, worshiping with others, praying, and pursuing life-giving spiritual disciplines.
Don’t let a waiting season lead you to a hard heart. Keep yourself in the love of God.
Resist the human tendency to turn away from God in times of trouble, and he will give you peace as you wait.
1 Peter 5:5
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5
In his first letter, Peter instructed the young men to stay in the will of God by being humble and subjecting themselves to the elders.
While we wait on the Lord, we can follow this example and keep humble hearts.
As you wait on God, remain humble. Serve others. Commit to helping others with humility and kindness, and God will bless you while you wait.
Psalm 123:2
“Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us.” Psalm 123:2
In times of trouble, we can have confident trust that God is merciful. He waits to shower his mercy upon us, and he is a good Father.
Keep looking to him and trusting in his goodness while you wait on him. His timing will probably be different than yours, but he is always good.
Psalm 26:3
“For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.” Psalm 26:3
While you wait on God, also continue to obey him. Stay faithful to him as you trust him.
Continue to do whatever he most recently told you to do as you wait for him to show you what is next.
I have learned that when I’m waiting for God to open the next door, my role is to do whatever he last told me to do until the door opens.
Psalm 26:9-10
“Do not sweep my soul away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes.” Psalm 26:9-10
Lastly, in times of waiting, resist the urge to devise your own plans and stand firm against the temptation to disobey God’s commands.
God will not bless the work of your hands if you don’t walk with integrity.
Instead, aim to faithfully complete the work set before you. God is most likely shaping your character to prepare you for his next assignment.
Waiting seasons are difficult. However, when we trust in the name of the Lord—and sincerely believe that his plans for us are good—we can honor him while we wait.
Often, as we grow and mature, we realize that God was using our past waiting seasons to shape our characters.
If studying the Bible better is on your list of things to do this year, be sure to visit our Bible Study Resources page where you’ll find everything you need to make Bible study a regular part of your daily routine.
God is kind, and he protects us by preparing us for his assignments. He waits until we are mature enough to handle his big assignments before placing them in front of us.
As you continue to wait on the Lord, take heart. He is working in your life. When you seek him with a pure heart, he won’t let you miss his perfect plans for you.
