For the past few years, I have asked God for a word and a verse of the year to focus on throughout the entire year. My word for 2021 was to wait. My verse was Psalm 27:14, wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. When I found myself in a situation where I did not know what to do or wasn’t hearing from God on a particular question or request, I was reminded to wait.

Waiting is not always easy and can be just as frightening as deciding to take action. We are put in situations where fear attempts to hold us, prisoners, at one time or another. It may be fear of rejection, misunderstanding, uncertainty, sickness, or even death. During these times, it may seem that God isn’t answering our prayers or doesn’t understand the urgency of our situation. Yet I have learned and continue to realize that that kind of thinking implies that God is not in control or is not fair.

During my periods of waiting, I found myself anxious about the outcomes. I found myself crying out to God more in those moments than I did in seeking God’s guiding presence every day. God was and still is teaching me a precious lesson in each of those moments. That lesson is that fear can be conquered by trusting in the Lord not only when we are in trouble but at all times. We can call on God for help at any time, yet it is very shortsighted to call on God only when we are in trouble. We should already be in the presence of God when perils come. Many of our fears and problems can easily be avoided or handled by seeking God’s help and direction beforehand.

God offers help for today and hope for the future. Unwavering confidence in God is our antidote for fear. God is worth waiting for. God uses periods of waiting to refresh, renew, and teach us. Make the most of your waiting by discovering what God may be trying to teach you in them. Don’t allow fear to waste that time.