A prayer of gratitude during the season of waiting
Posted by: Alisha Headley
Bible reading:
“The Lord is gracious to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.” – Lamentations 3:25
Listen or read below:
Let’s be honest: For most of us, gratitude doesn’t come naturally during the season of waiting. Waiting can feel like standing still while others move forward. It’s months and years of praying and hoping and wondering if God has somehow forgotten your name on his list of blessings. Whether we’re waiting for a baby, a spouse, a breakthrough, or healing, the space in between can test every ounce of faith we have.
I believed that if my prayers were answered, I would have a reason to be thankful. However, the Lord gently taught me that gratitude is not just for the harvest, but also for the soil. This is because the roots grow deep into the soil. And what are its deep roots? They keep us grounded when life’s storms come.
Today’s Bible says, “The Lord is gracious to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.” This passage is not a passive promise, but an active reminder that good is still here for souls who continue to seek God. Waiting is not in vain if we keep our eyes on the one who is waiting.
I know that because I’ve lived it. My journey to motherhood has been one long, tender wait. It took three and a half years of prayer, five heartbreaking losses, and countless tears. And when the miracle finally came, she came early. What I thought was the end of the wait turned into a new form of waiting. For 67 days in the NICU, I stood next to her tiny bed, waiting for the monitors to go silent, waiting for the doctors to nod, waiting for the moment when I could finally hold her freely in my arms. This season has taught me that even though waiting is painful, God’s presence is steady. And the miracle is not just what you receive at the end, but the kind of person you become while you wait.
Waiting is often where God does His most tender work.
If you are currently in a period of waiting, I want you to know that you are not being punished, you are being prepared. The same God who parted the sea and brought forth the barren womb is the same God who sees you now in the invisible, uncelebrated middle. He is not walking towards heaven and wondering what to do next. he already knows. God is aligning things in you and around you so that your heart is ready to receive blessings when they come.
But even before that moment arrives, there is still beauty here. Gratitude does not deny pain; it invites God into it. Something powerful happens when we thank God while we wait, rather than immediately after. Our focus now shifts from what is not good to who is good. You stop trying to make good happen in the situation you are waiting for, and instead you focus on the Good Father in the middle of it all.
So today, instead of asking God, “How much longer?”, we might ask God, “What are you teaching us here?” Instead of resenting the hiatus, you can thank God for the growth it brought. Because one day, when the wait is over, we’ll look back and see that the seasons we wanted to leave were the ones that helped us grow the most.
Let’s pray:
Dad, thank you for waiting with me. Thank you for working hard even when you can’t see it. Forgive yourself for the moments when you doubted your goodness or tried to rush your plans. Teach me to find peace here. Not in what happens next, but in knowing that you are already here with me.
Today I choose gratitude, even in the midst of uncertainty. Thank you for shaping my faith, deepening my dependence, and strengthening my trust. Thank you that your delay is not a denial, and that you do not withhold goodwill from those who walk with you.
Rest, release control, and help me remember that you are not late, you are on time, and you are better than me and perfect time. We praise you in advance, not only for the answers to your upcoming prayers, but also for the divine lessons you are writing in this chapter right now. I believe you have something great in store for me, and I thank you for the grace of waiting well.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen.
Share your thoughts on today’s devotion in the Daily Prayer discussion in the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo credits:
Alisha Headley is an author and speaker with a desire to share Biblical truth with everyday women. She stepped into her true calling and left the corporate world as a former finance vice president, allowing her to pursue her passion as a writer while loving her family as a stay-at-home mom and dog mom. Healed from a chapter in her life filled with lies she once believed about herself, she was inspired to lead women to Christ to experience the freedom and power to overcome those lies with the truth written in God’s Word. In her free time, Alisha enjoys road trips around the country, exercising to eat her favorite foods, and creatively styling outfits using fashion crafts. Alisha is a proud wife and dog mom living in Scottsdale, Arizona.
You can visit her website alishaheadley.com and follow her blog or connect with her on Facebook + instagram.
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