January Devotions

Waiting in Hope

We explored the spiritual practice of waiting during Advent, but this characteristic of discipleship is such an essential skill that, as we move into 2026, a gentle reminder may be helpful.”

Psalm 27:14 —

“Wait for the Lord;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the Lord.”

Waiting is one of the places where trust is most deeply formed.

Yet waiting rarely feels spiritual or heroic — most of the time it feels slow, uncomfortable, and uncertain. Still, Scripture repeatedly invites us to wait with hope, not because the delay is pleasant, but because the One we wait for is faithful.

David’s words in Psalm 27 were written from a place of fear and pressure, not ease. Even there he discovered that waiting is not passive. It is an act of courage. It means choosing to believe that God is working even when we cannot see it, choosing to trust that His timing is wiser than ours, choosing to prepare our hearts for what He will reveal in due season.

Waiting with hope is holding steady in the gap between the promise and the fulfilment.

It is sitting with God in the tension, rather than trying to run ahead of Him.

And in the stillness, strength grows.

A violinist once explained why a rest — a moment of silence — is essential in a piece of music. Without the rest, the music becomes frantic, crowded, and exhausting to hear. But with the rest, the notes breathe. The melody finds shape. The listener has space to take it in.

“Silence,” he said, “is what gives meaning to the sound.”

Our lives need rests too.

If everything moved at full speed, we would never hear God’s whisper.

The pauses — the waiting — are not wasted time.

They are where God shapes the next movement of the melody.

Waiting with hope is trusting that God is composing something meaningful, even in the quiet bars of life.

Prayer

Lord of all seasons,

Teach me to wait for You with courage and peace.

Quiet my restless heart and help me trust

that You are working in ways I cannot yet see.

Strengthen me in the stillness

and fill my waiting with hope.

I place this day — and its timing — in Your hands.

Amen.

Practice for Today: Sit in Silence for Two Minutes

Find a quiet place. - Set a gentle timer if it helps.

• Sit still.
• Breathe slowly.
• Let your mind settle.
• Whisper a simple prayer: “I wait for You, Lord.”

Let those two minutes become a small sanctuary — a reminder that even in stillness, God is near and at work.