What Does It Mean to Wait on God Without Anxiety

We are if not all in a state of worry with our minds being pulled in various directions by the things that are going on in our own lives. Health concerns. Financial concerns. Family concerns. Job concerns. And I am pretty sure there are so many more we could add to that list.

But what does God say about all these concerns we try to tackle ourselves? The ones we worry about constantly while trying to figure out what to do about the situation.

Well let's look first at the definition of biblical anxiety. The word "anxious" or "careful" comes from the Greek word merimnaō (μεριμνάω). The meaning is to be divided, pulled apart, distracted by worry or care. When your mind is split in different directions by concerns about the future. How many times has this happened to you today? I know it's probably a lot. But there is something you can do about it.

So let's discover together what does it mean to wait on God without anxiety.

My Story

I remember when I was in college getting my degree in biology. I wanted to be a doctor. I knew what it would take and my mind was fully set on it. But then I graduated and certain events occurred that made me think long and hard about that path. I decided it wasn't for me.

But here is the thing. I had the degree and no idea what to do with it.

That is where the waiting came into play.

Oh the waiting and waiting and not knowing what to do next.

Do I become a podiatrist. A physical therapist. Do I take the GRE. Here I am sitting with a bachelor's degree in science trying to figure out what to do next because I just don't know.

My parents had a cleaning business so I cleaned with them in the evenings. I read Christian books. I read the Bible. I listened to sermons. I was waiting on God to answer and holding onto every bit of faith I had while I waited.

And one day it all came together.

But here is what I want you to notice. It didn't come together when I was worrying. It came together when I surrendered my life and my purpose over to the Lord and let Him take control.

When I was in that season, I wish I'd had something beyond the Bible I could quietly slip away and work through during the hard moments. That is where the When I Am Waiting devotional bundle came from. It is filled with scripture, prayer, and guided reflection to help you slow down and trust God one day at a time. 

Bible Verses for Waiting on God Without Anxiety

These are the verses that carried me through my own waiting season. Not just words on a page. But lifelines I held onto when I didn't know what was next.

Philippians 4:6-7  — "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."

Pray instead of worry. That is the instruction. Simple but not always easy.

Psalm 27:14 — "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart."

Courage is required in the waiting. But He meets you there and strengthens what feels weak.

Psalm 62:5 — "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him."

Your answer is not coming from people. Not from circumstances. From Him alone.

Isaiah 40:31 — "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles."

The waiting is not passive. Something is being renewed in you while you wait.

Lamentations 3:25 — "The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him."

He is good. Even now. Even in the middle of it.

What to Do Practically While You Are Waiting on God to Answer

This is the part nobody really talks about.

Because waiting is hard. It is difficult. And some days it just feels heavy.

But here is what I did while I waited.

I kept listening to sermons. I kept reading Christian books. I kept reading my Bible. I kept praying.

That is what kept my mind on Him and not on my circumstances.

It sounds simple. But it is not always easy. There were days I didn't feel like it. But I did it anyway. And little by little my trust in Him grew stronger than my worry.

When God Finally Answered

When I finally figured out what I was supposed to do and realized I was called to go into teaching it felt like it was there all along.

From the time I was a little girl that was what I wanted to do.

I felt relief. God answers so simply. But He had to take away all the distractions first so I could actually hear Him.

That is what the waiting was for.

Not to punish me. Not to make me suffer. But to clear away everything that was competing with His voice so I could finally hear what He had been saying the whole time.

 

If You Are Still Waiting

If you are in a season of waiting on God to answer right now I want you to hear this.

Keep praying.

Keep trusting.

Keep believing.

He will answer at the appointed time.

But let Him use this time to refine you. Let Him use this season for you to learn more of who He is.

The waiting is not wasted.

He is working.

Even now.

"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him." Psalm 62:5