6th - 12th October 2025
I sometimes think that waiting is one of the hardest things God asks us to do. There are, in many ways, trivial things that we wait for, such as traffic to clear so we can get to our destination on time. And when we are running late our impatience can lead us to exhibit behaviour that we wouldn’t want shared on social media! Or how about doing our groceries and having to queue at the tills or, even worse, at the self-service tills! It’s funny how simple delays can cause us to feel frustrated or even stressed!
I can remember my days at school and university and the wait for exam results with all the implications that good and bad results could bring. The opening of opportunity and the ending of opportunity. I was fortunate enough to have a pragmatic view of life but some of my friends really stressed during that time of waiting for their results.
However, there are more significant circumstances which can cause us to really struggle when it comes to waiting. Waiting for a hospital appointment when we are in pain or when we have a diagnosis that really concerns us – with each passing day we can struggle to keep control of our minds racing ahead thinking through all the worst possible outcomes. Or maybe we’ve had surgery and are waiting for the result of a biopsy. It may only be a week or two but those weeks feel like years and, again, controlling our emotions and being at peace can be a real challenge.
There are so many circumstances that could be written about but hopefully you get the gist of what I’m saying … waiting is hard.
As a follower of Jesus I’ve waited for doors to open, for prayers to be answered, for healing to be experienced, for change to take root, for hope to finally look like more than just a word on a page but a lived experience.
I suppose waiting tests our patience because it reminds us we are not in control. It presses against our need for instant results and to be in control of our circumstances.
It is in the silence of waiting that doubts can start to creep in, ‘Did God really hear me? Has he forgotten about me? Will he really come through for me this time?’ Yet, it is often in the very place of waiting that God starts to shape our character, to deepen our faith, to remind us of our reliance on him, ultimately to prepare us for what he has already planned for his glory and our good!
Over the past month or two I’ve been drawn back time and time again to the start of Psalm 40 that I came across as part of my daily devotional. It is just so meaningful and helpful when it comes to struggling with the challenge of waiting because the kind of waiting that David refers to is somewhat foreign to our need for quick responses, quick solutions and quick results.
So often we can tend to think of waiting as passive, sitting doing nothing, standing in a queue until someone or something changes. I wonder do we see waiting as an inconvenience and a waste of our time?
"I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord." Psalm 40:1-5 (NLT)
It's good to remember that we are not alone when it comes to experiencing waiting. David the Psalmist waited for the Lord to help him, but look how he waits … patiently. I feel there is a significant lesson for us to learn here when it comes to how we wait because waiting is never easy but we could say it is a posture of faith as we recognise that God bends down, hears our cry and does not ignore us.
David describes himself stuck in mud and mire, helpless, unable to get out of his circumstances. How often do we feel trapped in our own sin, circumstances and sorrow? Yet God himself steps in. He doesn’t merely give advice from above, he lifts us out of the circumstances and sets our feet on stable ground, restoring direction and stability as we go about our everyday lives.
But more than that, God also gives a new song to sing because when we recognise that God is with us, helping us through our circumstances, when we sense his presence, it leads us to worship him even in the midst of our distress.
And as we worship and give thanks for his help and presence our lives become a witness to others as they see how we trust God even in the waiting. What a challenge to consider that even how we wait can be a witness to a watching world!
Written by David Mairs
MONDAY
“Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13–14
Heavenly Father, teach me what it means to wait patiently on you to help me in my times of need. Waiting feels difficult in a world that moves so quickly and does not want to wait on anything! To be honest, sometimes my heart grows restless and I wonder if you have forgotten me and all that is happening in my life. Strengthen me to wait patiently, not with fear or frustration, but with courage and hope. Help me to lay down my agenda and expectations and simply trust you, knowing that you are never late but always right on time. While I wait on you, fill me with your peace and keep my heart from despair and my thoughts from doubting your goodness. Instead, let this season of waiting deepen my faith and draw me closer to you. Remind me that waiting is never wasted time but rather it is the place where you work in me to change me into the person you want me to be. I trust you, Father. Amen.
TUESDAY
“The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth. The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the broken hearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Psalm 34:15–18
Heavenly Father, what a comfort it is to know that you see me and hear me. I am not invisible to you. Your word says your ears are attentive to my cries and your eyes are watching over me with care. Even when my prayers feel inadequate or my words falter, you know the cries of my heart. Today I thank you for being near to the broken hearted. In moments when my spirit feels crushed, when I am weighed down by grief or discouragement, you do not turn away. Thank you, Father, thank you that you draw near with compassion and hope. Father, remind me that my prayers are never in vain. You are an ever present Father who delights in hearing his children pray. Amen.
WEDNESDAY
“But I called on your name, Lord, from deep within the pit. You heard me when I cried, ‘Listen to my pleading! Hear my cry for help!’ Yes, you came when I called; you told me, ‘Do not fear.’ Lord, you have come to my defence; you have redeemed my life.” Lamentations 3:55–58
Heavenly Father, thank you that no pit is too deep that you cannot reach down and rescue. When I was lost in sin and despair, when I had no hope, no way out, you heard my cry and came close, whispering the words I needed most: “Do not fear.” Father, there have been times when life felt overwhelming, when darkness seemed to close in and I could not see a way forward. Yet, even then, you were present. You redeemed me when I was powerless to save myself. I praise you for being a God who rescues. Thank you for lifting me out of the shame, despair and hopelessness I found myself in. Thank you for setting me free and enabling me to walk in your light. May I never forget the pit you saved me from and may those memories raise up a heart of gratitude that will fuel my faith in the day ahead. Father, whenever I am tempted to fear, remind me again of your still, small voice that says: “Do not fear.” Amen.
THURSDAY
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5–6
Heavenly Father, I must confess that too often I lean on my own understanding. I plan, analyse, worry and try to figure everything out on my own. Yet your word calls me to something deeper, to something more radical, to trust you with all my heart. It is so easy to read and to say but to allow it to settle deeply into my heart is a real challenge. Trusting you completely, not half hearted, not sometimes, but fully and completely. Today I choose to trust you even when the path ahead feels so uncertain. I know that you are faithful and good and will guide me, opening and closing opportunities. Teach me to seek your will above my own. May my first response always be prayer, not panic. Remind me that your wisdom is far greater than mine, and that when I acknowledge you in all my ways, you promise to direct my steps. Father, steady me when I stumble. Keep me on your solid ground, even when life feels shaky. Thank you for being a faithful Shepherd who leads me with care. Help me to walk this week with confidence, not because I have all the answers, but because I know the one who does. Amen.
FRIDAY
“Sing a new song to the Lord! Sing his praises from the ends of the earth! Sing, all you who sail the seas, all you who live in distant coastlands.” Isaiah 42:10
Heavenly Father, you are worthy of a new song every day. Too often I allow my praise to settle into a routine, repeating words without fresh joy or experience. But today I ask you to fill me with renewed gratitude and to place within me a new song of worship that flows from remembering your goodness and mercy towards me. You are not only the God of yesterday’s blessings but you are also the God of today’s wonders. You are constantly at work in my life, sustaining me, guiding me and pouring out your love into my life. May my lips reflect that reality and may my song be filled with thanksgiving, not just for what you’ve done, but for who you are, the faithful, merciful, powerful, true and living God. Even when I don’t feel like singing, remind me that praise is a choice, and it lifts my spirit into your presence. Let my worship overflow so that others are also drawn towards you. May my life itself become a hymn that glorifies your name. Today I sing a new song. It is a song of love, a song of trust, a song of praise that belongs only to you. Amen.
SATURDAY
“You are the light of the world, like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:14-16
Heavenly Father, you have called me to be a light in this world. I feel the weight of this responsibility and at the same time it feels humbling as well as overwhelming at times because I know my own weaknesses. Yet it is not my own light that shines, but rather yours reflected through me. Thank you for choosing to use my life as a witness to your saving grace. Help me not to hide the light you have given me. Forgive me for the times I’ve been silent when I should have spoken out, forgive me for the times that fear has kept me from sharing my story. Give me boldness and wisdom to let my life point others toward you. May my actions reflect the forgiveness and love I have received and may my words bring enlightenment to those who are blinded from the truth. Help me to make a difference for you. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
SUNDAY
“Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful.” Proverbs 16:20
Heavenly Father, today I choose trust. My life is filled with so many uncertainties but I know one thing that I can be confident about and that is your faithfulness towards me. Your word promises that those who trust in you will find joy. Not fleeting happiness, but deep, lasting joy that comes from resting in your goodness. Help me to experience this truth each and every day. I confess that sometimes I struggle with trust. I want control, I want answers, I want to see the outcome before I step forward. Yet you call me to surrender those desires and to place my confidence in you alone. Help me to let go of fear and lean fully into faith. I ask that you fill me with joy as I trust in you, give me that joy in my heart that is not dependent on my circumstances but rooted in your unchanging character. Remind me that every promise you make is true and that you will finish the good work you began in me. Today I choose to listen to your instruction. Today I choose to trust you completely. Today I will walk in joy and peace because I know you are with me. Amen.