5 Practical Things To Do While While Waiting on God

I’ve noticed that most people tend to act in one of two ways while waiting on a promise from God. Some of us try to jump ahead of God and make things happen ourselves. Others literally put their life on hold, sitting around passively until something happens. But, neither of these approaches are helpful. Not only that, none of them are what God intended for us. So, what can we do instead? We can wait actively — not jumping ahead of God but not sitting around either. I want to share five practical things you can do while waiting on God that will bring growth in your faith, relationships, and personal well-being. 

Waiting and trusting go hand in hand

Before we talk about the practical things you can do while waiting on God, let’s discuss this important principle. Waiting and trusting go hand in hand.

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:29-31 ESV

It’s easy to grow faint and weary while we’re waiting. Depending on the translation you read, you may find the words “wait,” “hope,” or “trust”. That’s because these three things go hand in hand. In order to wait well, we must also trust and hope in the one we are waiting on. We’ll have strength in difficult waiting seasons when we recognize that God is our source and we return to him regularly to be filled up. This is how we will be equipped to endure the waiting season with joy.

Related: Why is God Making Me Wait So Long?

Waiting doesn’t mean your life suddenly goes on hold

No, your life does not go on hold just because you’re waiting. Therefore, you need to care for each aspect of your life as you wait. If you want growth and not stagnancy while waiting on God, you need to let God pour strength into you. You need to live your life with joy and allow God to use your life for his glory. 

5 practical things to do in a waiting season

I’m going to use God’s words to Israel during their Babylonian captivity to illustrate five practical things we can be doing while waiting on God. These include building houses and living in them, planting gardens and eating their produce, taking wives and having sons and daughters, and multiplying there. Finally, we will discuss being aware of God’s promises during times of waiting.

Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease…“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place… I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Jeremiah 29:5-6;10,14 ESV

1. Build and enjoy your career

Build houses and live in them

Jeremiah 29:5A ESV

This speaks to having a livelihood or career and finding enjoyment in it. Perhaps you’re waiting on your dream job. But, just because you don’t have that dream job doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the one you currently have. It might take some time to get to the dream job but don’t ignore the one you have while you’re waiting. Find something you love about this job and pour into it. Think about the things you can be learning and the skills you can be strengthening. Enjoy this present moment because it is a beautiful blessing from God.

2. Take care of your health and wellbeing

plant gardens and eat their produce.

JEREMIAH 29:5B ESV

I believe this can speak to our health and wellbeing. While we are waiting on a promise from God, we must remember just how important it is to stay healthy. Today is just as important as tomorrow. If we’re not cultivating our health today, how will we be able to thrive when we walk into the promise we’ve been waiting on? Remember, the gift of God is not just the thing you’re waiting on — it includes the life, health, and wellbeing of today. Steward it well.

3. Cultivate healthy relationships

Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters;

Jeremiah 29:6a esv

Next, this speaks to our relationships. Sometimes when we’re waiting on one thing, we can forget about everything else around us. Value and grow your relationships in this season. Go out and meet new people. Have lunch with an old friend. Start or join a Bible Study group. But please keep focusing on your relationships while you are waiting. After all, God’s promises are never for us alone, they are often meant to be passed down and shared with others within our community. 

4. Grow your community

multiply there, and do not decrease…

JEREMIAH 29:6B ESV

This falls in line with the previous point but I still think it needs to be emphasized. Not only do we steward our current relationships, we also grow our community. Multiply. Make disciples, tell someone about Jesus. Be a mentor to someone else. Teach others what you know. God’s work needs to go on whether you’re in a waiting season or not. Keep doing the good work he has called you to. 

5. Be aware of God’s promise

For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place

jEREMIAH 29:10 ESV

Finally, be aware of God’s promise. While you want to make the most of the waiting season, you don’t want to get so comfortable there that you don’t remember where God wants to take you. Occupy the moment and space you are in but don’t forget that God wants to take you somewhere new in his timing. When he says it’s time to go, be willing to leave where you are and move forward with him. 

The important thing to take from this is that life doesn’t stop just because you’re waiting. You still need to live your life. Have fun, work, build a community while waiting eagerly for where God plans to take you. 

I hope this article was helpful for you! What are some things you find helpful in waiting seasons?