Pretending to go through something and actually experiencing it are two entirely different things. Pretending is often easier because you don’t have to feel the weight of uncertainty, frustration, or disappointment. I didn’t realize this until I found myself in the midst of it—the “waiting season.”
This isn’t the kind of waiting where you anticipate something you’ve prepared for. It’s the kind where you have no idea what’s coming next, and you’re unsure what steps to take. If you’re in this phase like I was, you know how exhausting it can be. What makes it harder are the unsolicited questions, advice, and criticisms from those around you.
But the real struggle lies in self-doubt. You watch your friends land great jobs, move abroad, and chase their dreams, seemingly with ease. Meanwhile, you wonder, “Why not me? What am I doing wrong?” You’ve been trying for so long, and it feels like no matter how hard you work, you’re falling further behind. The weight of that doubt can be crushing, making you question if you’re even on the right path, or whether you should give up entirely. Eventually, the pressure becomes overwhelming, and you may find yourself hiding behind a smile, pretending everything is fine while sweeping your struggles under the rug.
In moments like these, the waiting season can lead you down one of two paths: it can either pull you away from God or draw you closer to Him. For me, it’s been the latter. And for anyone who’s navigating their own waiting season, I want to share why drawing closer to God can make all the difference.
One of the most comforting truths about God is His omniscience. He knows everything that happens in our lives—past, present, and future—because He has already planned it all. As the Bible says in Acts 17:26-27, “He [i.e., God] marked out their [i.e., man’s] appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”
Maybe this is why God has allowed you to go through this waiting season. While you’re waiting for something, He might be waiting for you. While you’re hoping for someone or something, God is right there, ready to meet you. Are you ready to meet Him? Are you ready to listen? He is near us, and ready to be found.
So, my dear friend, if you haven’t received Him yet, don’t worry—now is the time. Believe in Him and experience the difference for yourself. As Romans 10:9 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
I understand it’s difficult to hold onto hope when you’re not even sure what you’re hoping for, but here’s the promise: “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Trust that something beautiful is on its way, because He is a God who doesn’t just meet expectations— rather exceeds them. As Ephesians 3:20 reminds us, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.”
