Presented by Julie Busteed

Waiting on the Lord is hard. But he gives us promises that we can hang on to during this time.

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 40:31 ESV).

Years ago, I was in a job that was not my favorite. There were many things that were fine, but the work itself was not really what I wanted to do. I felt like it wasn’t a good fit for me, and it was work that didn’t come naturally to me. For a long time, I complained about this. I would complain in my heart, to God, to my husband and search for ways to move on to something else. But the opportunity didn’t present itself.

Finally, I remember crying—literally—to God about this and just pouring my heart out to him. And it’s not that I heard a loud voice, it was a soft gentle reminder that he is sovereign and to trust and wait on him. Instead of trying to change my circumstance, I began to change my thoughts—my mindset about the situation. It’s not that I became content and happy overnight, but I tried to focus on the things that were good. I also gave myself little rewards or encouragements for doing some of the hard things of the work. And by that, I mean taking a quick walk, getting another cup of coffee and so on. And slowly, I wasn’t as miserable! I think I complained less!

Changing my attitude made a huge difference. My situation didn’t change right away either. I would still have some valleys of despair, but they became fewer and far between.

Then, when an opportunity did arise, I was almost surprised! I was now actually more prepared for this next step having stayed where I was. And I wasn’t leaving my employer on bad terms—not burning any bridges.

I know there are many different situations and some more difficult than what I was experiencing. And for your own mental and physical health you may need to take different actions. But I tell you this, for a couple of reasons. First take some time to reflect and think on the situation as objectively as possible. Are there some good and positive things about where you are right now? Then pour your heart out to God. Continue to seek him. Realize he has purpose in the waiting. And that nothing is ever wasted.