Sometimes you want something so much: to start a family, to get that new job, to buy that house… but you are struggling with being patient. Your thoughts are consumed by wondering whether God has this for you. You may have started to feel bitter and angry toward God in your impatience.
If this sounds like what you are going through, you are not alone. The Bible shows you how to walk with God well when waiting on what he has for you.
You can see this in the story of the Israelites, who walked with God in the Bible. God delivered them from slavery and then they embarked on a journey to the promised land, which is where they really wanted to go.
But on the journey there, they didn’t do so well—even though God did great things for them on the way. How they journeyed with God mattered to him and how you do matters to him, too. Whatever the outcome may be in this, you can wait well by having patience. He has good things on your journey.
What Does It Mean to Walk With God?
The meaning of walking with God is when you accept his son, Jesus Christ, as your Lord and Savior and decide to fully give him control over your life.
This is continuous, not doing it only sometimes when it feels easy. You have to keep denying yourself and walking with God, following his will for your life. Seeking his plans over your own.
This is hard, especially when you don’t know if his plans match yours. You can’t know if he will give you what you deeply want, but you do know his plans for you are good, no matter what they are.
Walking with him is accepting this, and trusting him no matter what. Keeping the faith. Remembering that he is a good father who loves you so much and is always looking out for you.
When the Israelites were on their journey to the promised land in Joshua 3, their story demonstrates that God’s way of bringing about something is not always the way you would think it should look like or the way you would go about it. It is much better.
“And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.” (Joshua 3:13, ESV)
God was with them on the way to the promised land and he is with you too. He can do miracles for you in his perfect timing. His name is glorified through this, which is the best.
Whatever he has for you is good. Keep trusting him; keep praying and seeking him. When you walk with the Lord, his plans are so good for you. He cares for you. You can be patient when you know this.
How to Walk With God?
Knowing how to walk with Jesus with patience is a concept you can find in the Bible. The importance of walking with God and the benefits of walking with God with patience are many. They include having a better relationship with him and experiencing character growth in the fruits of the Spirit (of which patience is one).
Below, you will find 3 ways how you can walk with God on your journey, having patience, that differ from how the Israelites chose to walk in the way of the Lord. These characteristics of walking with God will help you to journey through this time well, being patient to find peace and joy in the waiting.
This will also help you feel closer to him when you are disappointed or weary—and know that he has good plans for you no matter whether you get what you want.
1. Be Grateful
The Israelites were in the desert for a long time on their walk with God to the promised land. You can read about them complaining with bitterness, thus exhibiting a bad attitude towards God.
“And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.” (Numbers 11:1, ESV)
Despite this attitude, the Lord gives them all that they need on their journey in amazing ways. But complaining with a bitter heart made him angry, leading them to receive punishment (fires and plagues), making their walk to what they wanted even harder.
Rather than complaining—having a poor attitude—you can instead choose to be patient by being grateful. Do share your grievances with God… but then focus on being grateful. He knows your heart and looks favorably on those who seek to love him and follow his will.
You can choose to focus on scripture as a way to be grateful for who he is. He is a good God who loves you and has good plans for you, no matter what that looks like. He is a miracle worker who sees you and is with you.
Instead of thinking about what you don’t have right now, make a list of what you do have. Thank him for just being him.
Related: Being Thankful to God in Hard Times
There is so much to be thankful for when you know him. You are blessed beyond measure. His presence, love, comfort, and goodness; the fact that he never changes; that he sees you, hears your prayers, and moves on your behalf; the list can go on and on.
Don’t let complaining distract you from seeing the good that God has for you on your journey.
2. Remember What He Did in the Past for You
The Israelites thought that they had it better as slaves in Egypt.
“We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.” (Numbers 11:5, ESV)
They had forgotten what God had done for them. He delivered them from an awful existence, parting the Red Sea to do it, and had great things ahead for them—but they focused on not having comforts now.
You need to remember what God has done for you in the past to have patience, to look forward to what is to come in the future and have a good attitude by not complaining. Reminding yourself of what he has done for you will help you know he can do it again—even the most impossible things—and this will remind you of his character, also.
Make a list of what he has done for you in your life and look at it often to feel encouraged and remember who he is: he never changes and can do it again. Whatever he has is good.
3. Continue to Obey Him and Trust Him
The Israelites greatly disobeyed God during this time. God was instructing Moses to get them ready to take over the promised land.
“But Moses said, ‘Why now are you transgressing the command of the Lord, when that will not succeed? Do not go up, for the Lord is not among you, lest you be struck down before your enemies. For there the Amalekites and the Canaanites are facing you, and you shall fall by the sword. Because you have turned back from following the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.’” (Numbers 14:41-43, ESV)
They didn’t obey God or trust him so he didn’t allow them to make it to the promised land. But God is still a promise keeper and fulfilled what he said with the next generation of people going to the land.
You can learn from this to trust God and obey him daily as you wait on what he has for you with patience instead of trying to take matters into your own hands to get what you want.
Trust his leading and guiding and abide in him. Do what he says and continue to seek him every single step of the way. He has the best plan for you and will lead you and guide you well.
Walk with Christ, letting go of what you think things should look like as he has the best for you, no matter what. Trust in him completely in this walk. This is the last way on how to walk with God while waiting on him with patience. Choosing not to trust and obey him leads to nothing good.
When you are waiting on God for something you really want, you can wait well with patience by learning from the Bible how to walk with God. How to walk with God daily includes being grateful, remembering what he did in the past for you, and continuing to obey and trust him. Walking with Jesus is the best and it guarantees you live your best life, living out the plans he has for you. Whatever he has for you is the best for you, even if it is not what you really want.
4 Responses
Hi Nikki thank you so much for this wonderful revival, sometimes we forget on the way to be patient, we need a child of God to remind us and God has done a lot in the past, but we forget. He has done a lot for me in the past and I thank Him for that
But we tend to forget when we are faced with difficult situations
I don’t want to be ungrateful like the Israelites who witnessed a lot of miracles that God performed for them, what I’m grateful for more than anything is the gift of salvation which I did not deserve and to know that nothing can separate me from His love Rom. 8:37-39 keeps me going no matter what
Thanks so much my dear sister for these encouragements may the good Lord richly bless you
Yours in Christ
Nozibele.
Hi, Nozibele.
I’m so glad that this was such a wonderful revival for you. Yes, I totally agree — I also often forget what God has done for me. But like you said, he’s just done so much for all of us. He’s worthy of all our praise and worship. I never want to be ungrateful either.
Yes, I’m so thankful for the gift of salvation that I don’t deserve either. Romans 8:37-39 is very significant to me also.
May God bless you richly as well, my dear sister in Christ! I’m so thankful for you!
Hi Nikki,
You blessed me with this reminder to be grateful and patient on my journey of restoration and peace with my loved ones. I wrote a lot of what you said in my journal so I can read it often. It gives me so much hope. Thank you, Nikki
Hi, Linda.
I’m so glad to hear that this article was a good reminder for you in many ways and that you found it helpful. All glory to God!
I’m praying that the Lord continues to help you and provide in powerful ways on your journey of restoration and peace with your loved ones.
It’s wonderful to connect with you!