How do you practice gratitude while waiting on God?

Maybe you’re waiting for a change in your career, direction from God or to see an answer to a prayer request you’ve had for a long time. It can be hard to be grateful while we are waiting for the next thing to happen.

At Wycliffe, we believe that God’s Word changes hearts and lives. Today the global Church is expanding as more people connect with Jesus through Scripture in a language and format that speak to their hearts. People are discovering the power and truths in God’s Word!

So in the midst of waiting, here are seven verses we can lean on that can help us remain in a posture of gratitude.

1. Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. — Colossians 4:2 (NLT)

Waiting for something can often cause frustration, especially when it seems like God’s timing and ours aren’t aligning. This short but powerful verse reminds us to turn to God when we are impatient or confused. God is faithful to remind us of all that He has done and give us a grateful heart. And He is powerful enough to change our attitudes.

Commit this verse to memory and pray that God gives you a spirit of thanksgiving!

2. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. — Colossians 3:16 (NLT)

Being part of a community is a great tool to remain thankful in the midst of waiting. As we worship together with others, we get the opportunity to both celebrate the way God is moving in the lives of people, and also to confess and repent of bitterness or impatience.

Your community can be your family, friends, church’s small group or coworkers. Whatever your community looks like, it’s important to find godly people to connect with who can help you walk through uncertainties — and also celebrate victories!

3. Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. — Psalm 107:21 (NLT)

This verse from Psalms serves as a reminder to reflect and practice gratitude while we wait on answers from God. While waiting, we can find solace in thanking God for what He has already done. By focusing on the blessings we have and the communion we share with God through the sacrifice of Jesus, we can maintain a sense of gratitude that sustains us in our waiting.

This celebratory attitude reminds us that even amid uncertainty, we are surrounded by the richness of God’s love.

4. Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. — Psalm 106:1 (NLT)

In times of uncertainty, we can choose to focus on God’s goodness and unwavering love. By continually praising and giving thanks to the Lord, we shift our perspective from our waiting to the eternal and steadfast nature of His love. This verse encourages us to acknowledge and celebrate the goodness that surrounds us, even in the midst of challenges.

It reminds us that God’s love is constant, enduring and ever-present — providing us with a source of hope and gratitude that can sustain us through the waiting periods.

5. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire. — Hebrews 12:28-29 (NLT)

This verse from Hebrews 12 reminds us that our ultimate destination is a Kingdom that is unshakable, filled with eternal promises and blessings. It can be hard to live in a “not-yet” season on earth, where it may seem like God is telling us to wait on Him and His timing.

In our waiting, we can find solace in the certainty of God’s Kingdom and by being thankful, we express our faith in His plan. Worshipping God with holy fear and awe can renew a reverence for His power and wisdom, even as we wait for His timing.

6. The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. — Psalm 28:7 (NLT)

A great way to practice gratitude is by worshipping God through music, singing and praises to Him! Psalm 28:7 serves as a beautiful guide for how we can practice gratitude during times of waiting. It reminds us to rely on the Lord as our source of strength and protection, encouraging us to place our trust wholeheartedly in Him.

Even as we wait for answers or guidance, this verse reassures us that God is actively helping us. As a result, our hearts can be filled with joy, and we are prompted to express our gratitude through songs of thanksgiving.

7. But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. — Psalm 13:5

This verse encourages us to place our trust in God’s unwavering love and faithfulness, even when we are waiting for answers or deliverance. By focusing on this love, we can find reasons for rejoicing in the knowledge that God’s love is steadfast and His rescue is certain. In times of waiting, we can shift our perspective from the challenges we face to the assurance of God’s truth, love and sovereignty.

By storing God’s Word in hearts and in our minds, it becomes easier to live out of a place of gratitude when we find ourselves waiting on the Lord.

So What Does This Mean for You?

We rely on God for hope throughout the seasons of waiting and challenging circumstances in our lives. But as Christians, we are also waiting hopefully on the fulfillment of the promise of unity in diversity laid out in Revelation 7:9a: “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb” (NLT).

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He sent His followers out on mission to proclaim the Good News: “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:18-19, NLT).

While we wait for His return and the fulfillment of God’s promises, we live every day with purpose.

We collaborate with churches, communities and organizations around the world to get Scripture into languages and formats that people can understand. Empowered by the truths in the Bible, our gratitude compels us to share God’s Word and its overwhelming joy with the world!

How do you practice gratitude in seasons of waiting on God? And how can you partner with people around the world who are waiting for the hope of the Scriptures in their language today?

Journey With Us

Join us on a journey to see people from every nation and language worship God before His throne (Revelation 7:9). Travel the world virtually with Wycliffe and pray along the way!

Journey 7:9