How to Wait on God with Faith, Joy, and Expectation

Okay, let’s be real: who actually likes waiting?

Not me. And definitely not my kids. 😅

We’re a homeschoolin’, Disney-lovin’ fam from sunny SoCal — and back when we had annual passes, we squeezed every bit of magic out of those Friday fun days.

One time, we jumped in line for a ride with a “45-minute wait”… and nearly THREE hours later (thanks, fast-pass stampede), we finally made it to the front… just as the ride broke down. 😩

It’s one of those family legends we laugh about now, but in the moment? Not so fun.

And isn’t that just like life?

You’re showing up in faith, doing all the things you know to do, expecting progress — and boom. Delay. Disappointment. Detour.

Suddenly you’re in that dreaded in-between space, waiting on a dream that feels stuck or a prayer that feels unanswered.

What are you hoping for right now that feels stuck in waiting? ⏳

Here’s something I’ve been learning:

Waiting on God doesn’t mean doing nothing. And waiting doesn’t mean you’re stuck.

🎁 That Magical Old-School Kind of Waiting

There’s this powerful Hebrew word used in the Bible for "wait": qavah. It carries the idea of waiting with tension and expectation. Like a bowstring pulled back, ready to launch. 🎯

It’s not sitting on your hands hoping something happens. It’s active, electric, and rooted in trust. It’s the kind of waiting that expects God to be at work even when you can’t see it yet.

Throughout the Old Testament, this kind of gritty, hope-filled waiting became the language of the poor and people who desperately needed God to come through. It's hope with its sleeves rolled up.

There’s a buzz of anticipation to it, like Christmas Eve magic. Qavah stretches you, tunes you, aligns you—so when the moment comes, you’re ready to ambush what’s next. It positions you to collide with the goodness and mercy chasing you. 🙌🏼

That gives waiting a whole different feel, doesn’t it?

Isaiah 40:31 says:

“Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength.”

Waiting with God can actually become a place where strength is being renewed. 💥

And Jesus gives us another beautiful picture in John 15: abiding.

A branch can look pretty quiet from the outside, but there’s a LOT going on. 🌱 Life is flowing. The branch is being nourished. Growth is happening. Fruit is forming.

Some of the most important movement in your life may be happening before you can see much evidence of it.

💫 Waiting is Wholeness Prep

When we really want something, it’s easy for our whole focus to narrow down to the ONE thing that still hasn’t happened. 🫠

Meanwhile, God may be doing all kinds of holistic work in us: healing, growing wisdom, building strength, bringing freedom, and expanding our capacity for what’s ahead.

And there’s still goodness happening right now.

Even in those ridiculously long Disney lines, when the snacks ran out and the games got old, we got silly. We got creative. We connected. And somehow, we always found something to laugh about.

(Okay... or fake-complain about with flair. 😂)

Joy doesn’t have to wait until the waiting is over.

Ephesians 3:20 says God is able to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” I want to dream BIG with Him about what’s ahead without becoming so focused on one version of the dream that I miss what He’s doing today. ✨

👵🏼 A Visit from Future You

Okay, picture her.

Future you shows up glowing: coffee in hand, peace all over her face. ☕️😂

She’s seen prayers answered in ways you couldn’t predict. She’s walked through things you currently wonder how you’ll get through. She’s found gold in places you can’t see from here.

She leans in and says, “Breathe, girl. You don’t have to white-knuckle this season.”

Trust the Shepherd. Stay close. Take the next step. Enjoy what’s good today. Leave room for God to surprise you.

Because one day you may look back and realize there was a LOT happening in the waiting—and all that stress couldn’t hurry it along anyway. You were allowed to enjoy the adventure while it unfolded.

It’s okay to be happy-scared. To feel the butterflies, the uncertainty, and the excitement of wondering what God might do next. ✨

Lean on future-you’s wins. God is already there, and He has all the faith, peace, wisdom, and grace you’ll need for the path ahead.

🚀 Faith-Filled, Forward-Looking Waiting

This is where my fellow activators can exhale. 😂

You are still allowed to MOVE.

Waiting on God doesn’t mean waiting around for Him to do all the work (or He’d still be walking the earth 😉) or trying to be holy enough until He drops something in your lap.

We get to be co-laborers with Him.

You can pray and prepare. Learn and heal. Knock on doors. Build what’s already in your hands. Ask for wisdom. Try something. Pay attention to where His peace is leading.

Look at Scripture:

📖 Adam watched every animal walk by and still, no Eve. 😬 The anticipation and honesty in his prayers were real. Imagine the pure magic when Adam laid eyes on Eve after waiting his whole life, like, “FINALLY!” 🙌🏼 His custom-designed gift was worth the waiting journey.

📖 Joshua and Israel had a promise, and then they had instructions. They walked around Jericho before the walls ever moved.

📖 David was anointed king long before he actually became king. There were years between the promise and its fulfillment—and those years formed the shepherd, warrior, worshiper, and leader who would eventually carry it.

📖 Joseph had dreams from God, followed by years that looked absolutely nothing like them. Yet God continued developing his character, wisdom, leadership, and capacity along the way.

Jeremiah 29:11 says God has plans to give His people “hope and a future.” He’s not playing games with your heart. He's fiercely committed to His promises.

Which means your question doesn’t have to be only, “God, when is this finally going to happen?”

There’s another question we can ask. 💛

👇🏽 Let’s Get You Unstuck

🫠 And Yes… Waiting Can Still Be HARD

You can believe every word of this and still have days when you want to scream:

“BUT THIS IS HARD!!!”

I get it. 💛 Some dreams matter enormously. Some prayers have been prayed for years. You don’t have to pretend you’re thrilled about the delay. Bring God the disappointment, questions, and exhaustion too.

Then keep walking with Him.

Sometimes that means loosening your grip on the exact picture you had in mind and giving God room to surprise you. Sometimes it means knocking on another door and linking arms with a trusted few who can help you circle your Jericho. Sometimes it means resting today and trying again tomorrow.

Your life isn’t on hold just because one part of it is still unfolding.

And remember: God didn’t plant dreams in you to tease or torment you. He planted them to fulfill you. ✨

God knows the dreams you carry and what this waiting is costing you. So keep listening. Keep asking. Keep knocking. Keep partnering with what He shows you.

God wants to give you wisdom and strategy for the breakthroughs you’re believing for. Sometimes what feels “on hold” isn’t an invitation to sit still—it’s an invitation to ask Him what your part is. 💛

And in the meantime, there is goodness to receive, people to love, and a life to enjoy right now — even while you keep believing for more.

Let’s wait well and hope wildly! Let’s trust His timing while staying awake, engaged, expectant, and ready to move when He moves. 🎯✨

To joyful waiting and treasures found along the way,

Kelsi