Comfort Amid Question Marks: Truth I Learned in My Waiting Season

This year has been marked with a significant amount of waiting in my life.

In January, I began the process of applying for an awesome opportunity—but along with it came paperwork, interview calls, reading, appointments, and emails. I did not have a solid “yes” or “no” for months.

My anxiety escalated as so much hung in the balance. It was not easy. Eventually, God allowed me to know some answers which brought a measure of relief. However, I am still waiting in other areas.

Along the way, I have learned the vastness of waiting seasons can feel overwhelming, draining, and never-ending.

It’s easy to believe that the unknown territory we face will always be part of our existence.

As weeks merge into months, some surprisingly raw and ugly emotions can seep through our worn-down soul. When that exhaustion occurs, complete honesty with God is best. We must tell Him we are angry, deeply tired of an unanswered future, and disappointed. It’s not a shock to Him because He knows what it means to be human and to experience the challenges of life here on earth.

Hebrews 4:15-16 says, “Jesus, understands every weakness of ours, because He was tempted in every way that we are. But He did not sin! So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved grace, and we will find help.” (CEV)

Whatever waiting seasons hold, we can abide peacefully in Christ, knowing our weakness is met with compassion, help, and grace. When vulnerable—needing strength to face yet another round of unknowns—we find grace and bravery as we approach God. There is comfort to be had, relieving the question marks that hang heavily over our heads.

Dwelling on Truth, Finding Perfect Peace

Perhaps you are familiar with the constant, creaking seesaw of the Christian life—anxiety rising, truth steading. Truth transcends troubledness—and becomes a lifeline that keeps our sanity intact when anxiety threatens to wreak havoc (see Isaiah 26:3). It may seem utterly impossible, yet perfect peace is attainable for our unsettled hearts and minds:

“Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]” (John 14:27, AMP)

No matter the circumstance, we are promised our trouble and fear will be replaced with the perfect peace of Jesus who provides “courage and strength for every challenge.” Prayer is the antidote to anxiety that provides peace as well (see Philippians 4:6-7).

The Battleground, Daily Strength, and a Galactic View

As alluded to, strong emotions can surface as wait time increases. We can experience burnout or even anger when we are chasing the illusion of control only to find it is an unattainable feat.

Extended periods of unsureness usher us into what can prove to be fierce battlegrounds in our Christian walk. Questions run us weary into the ground…

· Can I trust God knows what is best for me even if what I am hoping for does not work out?

· Will it always be this way—waiting for days, weeks, months, years—on end?

· Can I relinquish control long enough to embrace the peace of God through prayer instead of wrestling fiercely by myself?

No doubt questions of your own are swirling around in your head that could be added to that incomplete list. The best way to “get answers” is to get in the Word to find the passages that provide peace while waiting. Write them down. Highlight them. God’s Word is a lifeline of strength when we are weak from fighting nagging questions. They may not solve our situation instantaneously, but they do comfort us.

Sometimes, we are given specific answers to those tough questions. Our waiting ends once we get that text, email, or phone call with news. Other times God simply requires faith and trust on our part as His strength carries us day by day (see Deut. 33:25).

As a friend reminded me over lunch one day, the unique part of waiting seasons is that Jesus gives us a glimpse into His sovereignty, helping us to realize His plan is bigger than ourselves. I was guided by this same friend to a passage in Isaiah 55:9:

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Jesus’ view is eternal, infinite, galactic—while ours is so tiny.

Beauty in Our Questions

My prayer is that your soul feels lighter now. Maybe the lessons I discovered will help you to navigate the path ahead of you, comforted, knowing you are not alone in your waiting season.

Jesus is making every little thing beautiful in His time, even the days—marked with questions—that we are living now…