Why Waiting on God Feels So Frustrating

How to Trust His Timing Even When Life Seems Stuck

Hey, I’m Pastor Chris. If you’ve ever felt stuck on life’s loading screen, you’re in good company. I write about faith, doubt, and learning to trust God in the silence. Subscribe for more. And if this encouraged you, fuel the next post (and my coffee mug) with some support!

Have you ever felt like someone accidentally sat on the remote control of your life and hit "pause" without noticing? Yeah, me too.

I had just left the church I grew up in—the place I had poured my heart into, invested years of ministry, and dreamed of one day pastoring. It was a big deal. Honestly, it felt like stepping off a cliff with no idea if there was a safety net below.

Leaving was painful, not just because of the relationships, but because everything I'd worked toward was suddenly gone. And when you’ve spent all your ministry experience in one organization, walking away—especially when things get toxic—doesn’t exactly leave you with a glowing reference or a line of churches eager to hire you.

For the first time, I seriously wondered if I was done with ministry. I didn’t want to be, but I didn’t see a path forward. I prayed, fasted, read scripture, and even switched to stronger coffee (because stronger coffee solves everything, right?). But God's answer was consistently, frustratingly silent.

In those moments, it felt like my life had turned into an eternal loading screen, and patience was about as appealing as drinking decaf. I wanted answers, action, and clear next steps yesterday.

But I learned that God does some of His best work in our waiting seasons.

Joseph: A Masterclass in Waiting

Take Joseph, for example. He was just a teenager when God gave him a dream—literally. He saw visions of greatness, of his family bowing before him. In his youthful excitement (and maybe a little naivety), he shared those dreams. But instead of applause, he received betrayal—literally.

Joseph’s brothers, driven by jealousy, sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:28). From a favored son to a foreign servant in Egypt—talk about life taking a hard left turn. But Joseph didn’t abandon his faith. Even as a slave in Potiphar’s house, he worked with integrity:

"The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master." – Genesis 39:2 ESV

Joseph climbed the ranks in Potiphar’s house only to be falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and thrown into prison (Genesis 39:20). Yet even in prison, God was with him:

"But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison." – Genesis 39:21 ESV

In prison, Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker (Genesis 40). He asked the cupbearer to remember him, but he was forgotten for two whole years:

"Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him." – Genesis 40:23 ESV

Finally, Pharaoh had troubling dreams no one could interpret. That’s when the cupbearer remembered Joseph. In a divine plot twist, Joseph was called out of prison, interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams, and was appointed second-in-command over all Egypt (Genesis 41:39-41):

"Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command.'"

Joseph managed Egypt’s food supply through years of abundance and famine, saving countless lives. Eventually, his brothers came to Egypt seeking help. Joseph recognized them, but they didn’t recognize him. He could have sought revenge, but instead, he forgave them, seeing God’s hand at work:

"And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life." – Genesis 45:5 ESV

And later:

"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." – Genesis 50:20 ESV

Joseph's journey shows us that waiting isn’t wasted when God is in charge. It’s part of the preparation. God was with him in the pit, the prison, and the palace.

Finding Strength in the Silence

Psalm 27:14 became my anchor verse: "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." It doesn't say to wait passively—to be strong and take heart. There's strength to be found in waiting. Who knew?

Silence is not the same as absence. Some of the most spiritually formative moments do not occur when we hear from God but when we choose to trust Him even when we don’t.

David, the very one who penned Psalm 27, knew this firsthand. He was anointed king while still a teenager (1 Samuel 16) but didn’t take the throne until years later. And in between? A lot of hiding, heartbreak, betrayal, and waiting. Yet David still wrote, "I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (Psalm 27:13 ESV).

That’s the kind of confidence that grows in silence. Not the loud, flashing miracle kind—but the rooted, gritty, day-by-day kind. The kind of trust that says, "Even if I don’t see it yet, I believe God is working."

In that season, God wasn't silent because He had forgotten me; He was silent because He was preparing me. He was working behind the scenes, building my faith muscles and deepening my trust. I realized that waiting is active, not passive. It's a spiritual discipline that shapes us in ways immediate answers never could.

How to Wait Well

Here’s how you can practically embrace the wait:

1. Lean into prayer and honesty. Don’t sugarcoat your prayers. If you’re frustrated, tell God. He’s not surprised, and He’s not going to revoke your salvation for saying how you feel. Transformation happens in prayer, which sometimes starts with tears and groans more than polished phrases.

2. Stay connected in the community. Isolation is fertile ground for doubt. Being around others who have endured seasons of waiting reminds us we’re not alone and helps us avoid becoming bitter hermits with spiritual trust issues. When you're running low on faith, let people pray for you, check on you, and speak truth into your life.

3. Find strength in scripture. God’s Word isn’t just for the good days—it’s a survival kit for the hard ones. Stories like Joseph, Hannah, Moses, and even Jesus in the wilderness show that waiting is baked into God’s plan for His people. Keep a few go-to verses posted where you’ll see them often. Let scripture speak louder than your doubts.

4. Do what you know to do. Sometimes, when we don’t know the next big step, we’re called to be faithful to the little ones. Serve. Show up. Love people. Stay consistent in your spiritual rhythms. Movement, even slight, is still progress.

5. Remember that waiting is worship. Trusting God in the face of the unknown is an act of worship. It honors Him and testifies that He is worthy even when we don't yet see the fulfillment of His promises.

You're Not Alone

I understand if you're stuck in a waiting season right now. It can be frustrating and challenging, but you're not alone. Keep trusting and leaning in, and don’t underestimate what God is doing while you wait.

Remember, even Jesus waited years before beginning His public ministry at age 30. In that waiting, He grew in wisdom and stature (Luke 2:52). Waiting has always been part of God's process, even for the world's Savior.

You may not see it yet, but God is writing a story far more incredible than you're trying to rush. He is faithful. He sees you. He’s not delayed—He’s deliberate.

So tell me, friend—how do you handle waiting on God’s timing? Share your story. Let's encourage each other while we pause. After all, life’s loading screen feels shorter when we’re in it together.

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