5 Books for Waiting Seasons
Waiting seasons can be so challenging.
They can feel lonely.
They can be isolating.
They can feel like life is happening for everyone else except you.
As the waiting season drags on, you can be tempted to wonder whether you’ve done something wrong or to think maybe God’s forgotten you. You can even begin to doubt that God has a purpose for your life.
Surely, something must be wrong. Surely, you’ve taken a wrong turn. Surely, God wouldn’t have you wait this long.
If you can’t tell, I’ve been in a waiting season or two, and I know exactly how painful they are. I know all the doubts, the fears, the loneliness, the “why me’s”. I know how incredibly tempting it is to want to just walk away and give up the wait.
I haven’t always waited well. And I haven’t always understood what waiting seasons are all about. (To torture me? Break me down? Shatter all my hopes and dreams?)
That’s why I want to share something I wish I’d learned a long time ago:
Waiting seasons are preparation seasons.
They’re meant to prune us, refine us, and train us for whatever God has for us next.
I think we’d all like to have a closer walk with God and to be used by Him in great ways, yet most of us don’t want to go through the preparation process that’s required to get to the “next level” with Him.
If you’re in a waiting season, God has a purpose for it, and one of the main purposes is to grow you and mature you for a deeper life of faith and service.
It’s time to cooperate with the work He’s trying to do in your life, to allow Him to develop you, and to surrender to His pruning (even if it’s painful!).
Here are five books that have encouraged me and helped me grow during my waiting seasons. I hope they help and encourage you, too.
5 Books for When You’re Waiting on God:
Detours: The Unpredictable Path to Your Destiny
Tony Evans
This book on the life of Joseph was such an eye-opener for me. It caused me to realize that not only does God have a purpose for each waiting season, He has a purpose for each “chapter” or “detour” of that waiting season, and each detour often prepares us for the next turn in the road. God doesn’t take us from one season to the next in a straight line, so to speak; He takes us on a journey with twists and turns and detours and pit stops, each of which teach us and prepare us for the next leg of the journey.
This is one I reread often, especially while waiting on God, so that I’m more alert to what God is trying to teach me and so that I’m not distracted or disappointed when a detour comes my way.
Pathways: From Providence to Purpose
Tony Evans
I was torn on which book by Dr. Evans to include as this one is just as insightful as Detours, so I decided to include them both! Pathways is on the life of Esther, and similar to Detours, it takes us behind the scenes to see God’s ultimate plan and purpose for seasons in life that don’t make sense to us.
This is an encouraging read because it reveals that God was actually working out the details in Esther’s situation when it appeared He wasn’t doing anything at all. If you’re in a season where it seems He’s not doing anything while you wait and wait and wait, this book will provide the motivation to keep trusting and praying for His ultimate purpose in your life.
Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God
Henry Blackaby, Claude King, and Richard Blackaby
This is one of my all-time favorite books because it was such a catalyst to my own walk with the Lord, particularly in the area of discerning His will. I recommend it for any season of life, but I’m suggesting it for waiting seasons because as I mentioned above, waiting seasons are times when God grows us and prepares us, so it’s crucial to have resources like this book on hand to help us develop a stronger relationship with Him.
It’s also my favorite resource for learning to know God’s will, and often, waiting seasons are filled with uncertainty about next steps, so being prepared to hear from God and obey His will is also a crucial part of the waiting process.
Secrets of the Vine
Bruce Wilkinson
I used to think that if God put me in a waiting season, I’d done something wrong. This book on the vine and the branches helped me understand that’s not always the case. My biggest takeaway from this book was learning the difference between a season of discipline and a season of pruning. What a relief to finally be able to recognize the difference! Now I’m able to better discern what the Lord is trying to do in my life during waiting seasons.
While I didn’t agree with the author on a point or two, overall, this book was very helpful to me. It encouraged me to continue to abide in Christ, and it caused me to stop looking for what I was doing wrong and to start looking at what God was trying to do in my waiting (ie: prune me for even more growth!). It also spurred a deep dive into John 15, which is what Christian books should do anyway - draw us to a deeper study and love of God’s Word.
Streams in the Desert
Lettie Cowman
This is a devotional “for the weary traveler” and it’s one of my favorite resources for weary waiting seasons. It was compiled by Lettie Cowman, a missionary who put together inspirational writings from various Christian authors and teachers while she was taking care of her terminally ill husband. Many of the entries in this devotional are about waiting on God, as well as topics related to waiting on God such as loneliness, suffering, uncertainty, etc. I’ve been through it many times and always walk away encouraged and uplifted.
(Note: I recommend the updated version for better understanding and readability.) If you’d like to check it out, you can read today’s entry here.
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Hi! I'm Abigail, your real-talk Christian life coach and faith mentor. I believe we're on this earth for a reason, and I LOVE helping people realize and live that truth so that they can reach their God-given potential in all areas of life.
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