I’m the type of person who is always looking forward to the next thing. I want one season to be finished because I’m ready for the next. That goes for actual seasons and life seasons alike. In the summer, I’m ready for cooler weather. But once that snow starts falling, I’m ready for warm summer nights.

I don’t like waiting. I don’t like feeling restless.

We all experience times of waiting in life. It’s inevitable. There are moments we want to move forward but know it’s not time yet. There are times God tells us to wait. What he has in store for us isn’t ready to come to fruition, yet we still yearn for what’s ahead (somehow thinking it’ll be better than the present).

When I was in high school, I couldn’t wait to be in college to learn something useful.

When I was in college, I couldn’t wait to get a teaching job so I could actually put theory into practice.

When I was teaching, I couldn’t wait to have children because I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom.

Now that I have children, there are days I find myself wanting them to be in school so I can go back to work.

In each of those seasons, I’ve wasted the wait. I wanted something beyond my reach, which meant I didn’t appreciate the moments of preparation. It’s so easy to lose sight of what’s right in front of you and miss out on how important waiting can be. I couldn’t appreciate the blessings in front of me. It wasn’t time for the next season to unfold, and too often I rushed into the next chapter of life.

Seasons of waiting are not easy. I know that. They are trying.

I’ve waited and yearned to be released from difficult situations.

For years, I waited and yearned to buy a house.

I’ve seen friends wait and yearn desperately for a baby.

I remember looking forward to having a serious relationship and getting married. That seemed to be the next step after college, but once the ring was on my finger, I felt like it was time to start thinking about kids.

I got married at 21 and was done having kids by 26. Why the rush?

Looking back, it would have been wise to allow that season of waiting between getting married and having kids to play out a little longer. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my kids. They are amazing, and I am blessed to be their mom, but I now realize that time between saying “I do” and hearing, “It’s a girl,” is so important for a relationship to be strong. It’s a time to live our ministry as a married couple in a way that can’t be done with kids under foot.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t looking toward the next season, but I realize there are lessons to learn now. There are skills to develop right now in this season of waiting.

All those moments of waiting develop perseverance. They develop a strong character within us, and they give us a chance to have faith in God’s timing. We learn to be still before God and trust that his ways truly are higher than our own.

I’m getting more and more okay with waiting because I know the value of the lessons learned in those moments is irreplaceable. It doesn’t make it easy, but I try to focus on God’s faithfulness, strength, and wisdom.

Don’t waste the wait. God is in the midst of the quiet moments, preparing you for something incredible.