Are you in a season of waiting? Perhaps you feel that your life is on pause or your dreams are on hold. Maybe you have prayed and fasted and have deeply desired a different reality, but you are living in the rut of that horrid existence known as Groundhog Day. It seems nothing ever changes for you, but you are enduring the perpetual subsistence in the carbon copy of yesterday.

What should a believer in Jesus Christ do when they find themselves in the tight and paralyzing place of waiting?

"Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You" (Ps. 25:21, NASB).

As you are waiting for a new assignment or for an answer to a heartfelt prayer, continue to live a life of integrity and righteousness. Don't allow the interminable wait to convince you to compromise your belief system, your moral code or your standard of conduct. Be committed to a life of immaculate moral excellence and uncommon choices.

"Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord" (Ps. 27:14).

Allow your period of waiting to strengthen your faith rather than weaken it. You can strengthen yourself in the Lord during the wait if you pray for others, if you choose to memorize Scripture and if you continue to serve the greater body of Christ. You take courage when you speak words of faith rather than words of discouragement and when you choose to encourage others rather than be jealous of their blessings.

"And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You" (Ps. 39:7).

When I am waiting, I often remind myself that my hope is in the Lord not in the changing of my circumstances. Events, people, advancements and circumstances are not the answer to my most urgent prayers, but His presence is what I delight in.

Whether my circumstances ever change or not—whether I ever see an adjustment in the events of my life or not—I have found my place of glorious hope. All of my hope is in Him, and He is a faithful God in whom there is no disappointment.

And so, this day and every day, waiting becomes a strengthening period in my life. Waiting is a time of righteous living and of courage. Waiting is an opportunity to place all my hope in Him!

Carol McLeod is an author and popular speaker at women's conferences and retreats, where she teaches the Word of God with great joy and enthusiasm. Carol encourages and empowers women with passionate and practical biblical messages mixed with her own special brand of hope and humor. She has written eight books, including The Rooms of a Woman's Heart, Defiant Joy!, Holy Estrogen!, No More Ordinary, Refined, Joy For All Seasons, Let There Be Joy! and Pass the Joy, Please! which releases on February 1, 2018.Her teaching DVD, The Rooms of a Woman's Heart, won the Telly Award, a prestigious industry award for excellence in religious programming. You can also listen to Carol's "Jolt of Joy" program daily on the Charisma Podcast Network. Connect with Carol or inquire about her speaking to your group at justjoyministries.com.

Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Dr. Mark Rutland's

National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)

The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!

FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.

The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.