Waiting is a part of every life. Sometimes it feels small and simple, waiting for a package to arrive, a text to come through, or the end of a long workday. Other times, it’s heavier: waiting for clarity, healing, direction, or a prayer you’ve whispered for years.
The saints knew this kind of waiting intimately. And they show us that waiting isn’t something to grit our teeth through…it’s something that can stretch our hearts, deepen our trust, and make room for God to work.
Here are a few simple lessons—along with practical steps you can take today—to help you wait well.
1. Make Waiting Active, Not Passive
St. Josemaría Escriva often wrote about turning the “ordinary moments” into places where God is present. Waiting doesn't have to feel stuck; it can be full of movement toward Him.
Try this:
Choose one small, daily action that turns waiting into invitation—lighting a candle before prayer, pausing for a decade of the Rosary on a walk, or saying a quiet “Jesus, I trust in You” each time impatience rises.
If you need inspiration for weaving prayer into busy days, The Way or Christ Is Passing By are perfect companions.
2. Anchor Yourself in God’s Promises
St. Thérèse, who longed for heaven and holiness with her whole heart, understood that waiting doesn’t mean forgetting what God has already promised. She held onto His love even when nothing felt clear.
Try this:
Write down one Scripture verse or line from a spiritual book that reminds you of who God is. Put it on your mirror, your phone background, your steering wheel, somewhere you’ll actually see it.
3. Let Go of the Timeline, Not the Desire
The saints remind us that our desires—marriage, healing, stability, purpose, holiness—are not embarrassing or too much for God. But the timeline? That’s His.
St. Monica waited decades for Augustine’s conversion. Her perseverance wasn’t frantic; it was faithful.
Try this:
Each morning, offer God one desire of your heart and ask Him to shape it according to His will. Then release the timeline back to Him.
For gentle guidance in cultivating interior freedom, In Conversation with God offers daily reflections that help reframe the heart’s longings.
4. Surround Yourself with Good Companions
None of the saints waited alone. Their strength came from community, spiritual reading, the sacraments, and friends who reminded them of God’s goodness.
Try this:
Choose one saint to “walk with” in this season. Read a few pages of their writings each day. Ask their intercession for patience and hope.
5. Remember That God Works in the Waiting
The saints teach us that the waiting itself often prepares us for the grace we’re asking for. God forms us while we pause, hopes, pray, and keep showing up.
Waiting well isn’t about perfect serenity. It’s about staying close to the One who is already working, even when we can’t see how.
If you’d like a companion this season, you can explore all these titles and more—trusted guides from saints and spiritual writers who know the terrain of waiting, hoping, and trusting God.
