A Prayer to Give Thanks in the Seasons of Waiting - Your Daily Prayer - November 23

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A Prayer to Give Thanks in the Seasons of Waiting
By: Alisha Headley

Bible Reading:
“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.” - Lamentations 3:25

Listen or Read Below:

Let’s be honest, for the majority of us, gratitude doesn’t come naturally in the waiting seasons. Waiting feels like standing still while everyone else moves forward. It’s the months or years of praying, hoping, and wondering if God has somehow forgotten your name on His list of blessings. Whether it’s waiting for a baby, a spouse, a breakthrough, or healing, the in-between space can test every ounce of faith we have.

I used to believe that once my prayers were answered, then I’d have a reason to give thanks. But the Lord has gently taught me that gratitude isn’t reserved for the harvest — it’s also meant for the soil. Because it’s in the soil where roots grow deep. And those deep roots? They hold us steady when life’s storms come.

Today’s Scripture says, “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.” That verse isn’t a passive promise — it’s an active reminder that there is goodness even here, even now, for the soul who keeps seeking Him. Waiting isn’t wasted when our eyes stay fixed on the One we’re waiting for.

I know this because I’ve lived it. My journey to motherhood was one long, tender stretch of waiting — three and a half years of prayers, five heartbreaking losses, and more tears than I can count. Then, when my miracle finally arrived, she came early. What I thought would be the end of the waiting became a new kind of waiting — 67 long days in the NICU, standing beside her tiny bed, waiting for the monitors to quiet, waiting for the doctors to nod, waiting for the moment I could finally hold her freely in my arms. That season taught me that even when the waiting hurts, God’s presence holds steady. And that the miracle is not just what you receive at the end — it’s who you become while you wait. 

Waiting is often where God does His most tender work. 

If you’re in a season of waiting right now, I want you to know you’re not being punished — you’re being prepared. The same God who parted seas and made barren wombs fruitful is the same God who sees you, right now, in your unseen, uncelebrated, in-between. He’s not pacing Heaven, wondering what to do next. He already knows. He’s aligning things — in you and around you — so that when the blessing comes, your heart will be ready to hold it.

But even before that moment comes, there’s still beauty to be found here. Gratitude doesn’t deny the ache — it invites God into it. When we thank Him in the waiting, not just after it, something powerful happens. Our focus shifts from what’s not good right now to who is good. You stop striving for good to happen in the circumstance you’re waiting for, and you instead focus on the good Father with you in the middle of it.

So today, instead of asking God “how much longer,” maybe we can ask, “what are You teaching me here?” Instead of resenting the pause, we can thank Him for the growth it’s producing. Because one day, when the waiting ends, we’ll look back and see that the very season we wished away was the one that grew us the most.

Let’s Pray:

Father, thank you for being with me in the waiting. Thank you for the ways you’re working, even when I can’t see it. Forgive me for the moments I’ve doubted your goodness or tried to rush ahead of your plan. Teach me to find peace right here — not in what’s coming next, but in knowing you’re already here with me.

I choose gratitude today, even in the middle of uncertainty. Thank you for the ways you’re shaping my faith, deepening my dependence, and strengthening my trust. Thank you that your delays are not denials, and you do not withhold good from those who walk with you.

Help me to rest, to release control, and to remember that you’re not late — you’re right on time — your perfect time, which is better than mine. I praise you in advance not only for the answered prayers that are coming but for the sacred lessons you’re writing into this chapter right now. I believe you’re preparing me for something beautiful, and I thank you for the grace to wait well.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Share your reflections on today’s devotional in the Your Daily Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: 

Alisha Headley is a writer + speaker who has a desire to meet the everyday woman in her everyday life with biblical truth. Stepping into her true calling, she left the corporate world behind as a former-financial VP to love on her family as a stay-at-home wifey + dog mama, while also being able to pursue her passion as a writer. Healing from a chapter of life consumed with lies she once believed about herself, she is inspired to point women to Christ to experience the freedom + power to overcome those lies with the truth written in God’s word. In her free time, Alisha enjoys road trips around the country, working out so she can eat her favorite foods, and creatively styling her outfits with a craft for fashion. Alisha is a proud wifey and dog mama living in Scottsdale, Arizona.

You can follow her blog by visiting her website alishaheadley.com or connect with her on facebook + instagram.

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