When Love Returns: Faith in the Waiting
There have been chapters in my life when waiting became its own kind of prayer—a quiet, persistent hope that lingered softly in the heart. During these seasons, it was all too easy to measure my days by what hadn’t yet arrived. Yet, there was a gentle assurance that I was not abandoned in the in-between. My soul, though weary, was being readied for something deeper, something both tender and profound.
Often, the weight of waiting feels almost invisible to others, but inside it’s like hauling around an emotional backpack stuffed with bowling balls, stale granola bars, and a few questionable life choices.
If I’m honest, sometimes waiting felt less like a noble spiritual quest and more like standing in a cosmic line-up at the DMV—clutching my numbered ticket, peering anxiously at the clock, and wondering if the universe had somehow misplaced my paperwork. My prayers became a blend of hopeful poetry and gentle complaint: “Hello, God, just checking in again—I’m still here, still waiting, or just stuck in traffic…in case You needed the reminder.”
Yet, in between sighs and diet coke with fresh lime, I started to sense that the waiting wasn’t just an awkward intermission, but a prelude—one with secret lessons tucked inside like fortune cookies. Perhaps my soul was being readied not just for someone else, but for a richer version of myself—one with more patience, lighter laughter, and the ability to find joy in the ridiculousness of it all.
Praying and waiting for answers after Bryan and I missed each other in December 1989 felt slow and uncertain marked by silent tears, unfulfilled desires, and the regret of missed opportunities and hope for a reply from God or even Bryan himself! Though the process was sluggish, like thirty-two years sluggish… three decades to get the answer as to what his version was verses mine! But it did EVENTAULLY happen.
In matters of the heart, waiting can feel like being stuck in an eternal elevator with only elevator music and your own thoughts for company. The sting of my broken relationship, the ache of unmet hopes, and the agony of wondering, “Did I miss my soulmate because I took too long in the bookstore?”—these can leave us feeling a bit battered. Yet even these moments of limbo are fertile ground for divine creativity and resilience can be cultivated. God redeems our brokenness, prepares us for new chapters, and maybe even gifts us a sense of humor about it all, so we can laugh at our own melodrama and trust that love has a much better arrival time than we could ever schedule ourselves. In these intervals, we are invited to trust that God’s timing is perfect, even when our own understanding is limited.
It is here that we start to notice small positive moments: a supportive word from a friend, a sunrise indicating a new beginning, or an unexpected feeling of calm. These subtle experiences can serve as reminders of ongoing support and comfort, even when the reasons behind events are not immediately clear.
Such waiting shapes our perspective, teaching us to see not just what is missing, but what is being prepared. It is in this sacred pause that we discover our capacity to believe in love renewed, even before it arrives.
God’s Transformative Power
Of course, while we’re discussing holy patience, let’s not pretend it always looks graceful. Sometimes it’s more like an existential staring contest with the ceiling at 2 a.m. or overanalyzing the lyrics of every song that pops up on the radio, dissecting every song on the radio for hidden meanings.
Sometimes, seeking spiritual clarity feels like binge-watching self-help videos at midnight and wondering if growth can happen in pajamas with yesterday’s hair. There are moments when finding deeper meaning is less about grandeur and more about simply showing up, doubts and all, to the messy middle of our stories.
Yet maybe that’s the hidden beauty of it all: God works not just in whispers and sunsets, but also in our awkward moments, comic fumbles, and slightly desperate pep talks to ourselves in the bathroom mirror. If the universe were handing out gold stars for patience, surely mine would be glittery, slightly bent, and possibly stuck to the bottom of my shoe like chewed gum.
But what does it mean, truly, to surrender to the waiting? It is not to resign ourselves to hopelessness or despair, but rather to lay our restless hearts before the One who sees beyond our present longing. In the stillness, we are invited to entrust our stories to God’s hands, trusting that in the unseen threads of delay, holy work is being accomplished.
We do not wait alone, nor do we wait empty-handed. God gently invites us to participate in our own transformation, to tend the gardens of our souls, and to nurture the seeds of faith that have been planted deep within. Each prayer, each small act of trust, becomes a building block in the foundation of the love we are being prepared to receive.
Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the waiting teaches us to recognize the miracles woven into our ordinary days. We discover strength in our vulnerability, light in our longing, and a quiet courage that arises from trusting in something greater than ourselves. In these moments, waiting ceases to be a place of lack and becomes, instead, a landscape of hope—rich with possibility, tender with promise.
The Scriptures are replete with narratives of redemption that offer hope. Consider the story of Ruth, who faced immense loss and uncertainty yet remained steadfast in her faith. Her trust in God ultimately led her to Boaz, a love that emerged from a place of profound pain. This tale serves as a powerful reminder of how God can create beauty from our ashes, guiding our hearts through periods of waiting with intention and purpose.
In our personal journeys, waiting is not merely a passive state. It represents a vital time for growth, introspection, and spiritual renewal. During these seasons, God often reshapes our hearts, helping us release past hurts and learn to love more authentically. Much like a potter skillfully molds clay, God is intricately crafting our hearts into vessels ready to hold and share love once again.
Cultivating Our Hearts
Throughout waiting, God extends an invitation for us to engage in prayer and self-reflection—almost like being given a backstage pass to the behind-the-scenes chaos of our own hearts, where we can finally acknowledge both our bravest dreams and our wildest worries. This process allows us to confront our fears, heal from old wounds, and deepen our relationship with Him. Sometimes, it feels less like a serene inner pilgrimage and more like spiritual spring cleaning, where we discover emotional dust bunnies under the rug. Yet, it is through this intimacy that we begin to grasp the essence of true love—not just romantic love, but a love characterized by patience, kindness, and forgiveness (and maybe a dash of divine comedic timing).
As we draw nearer to God, we become more attuned to His voice, which guides us toward the love that is destined for us. He reassures us that we are never alone in our waiting. In moments of uncertainty and despair, we can find solace in verses such as Isaiah 40:31, which promises that those who place their hope in the Lord will find their strength renewed.
As I studied my scriptures, attended my church meetings on a regular basis, served those around me, I grew to know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God was with me, guiding me, directing me. I had peace in the darkest times in my life, before Bryan- I totally knew that God took the wheel and was in the driver’s seat!
Isaiah 40:31, But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.
Embracing New Horizons. Our Journey Together.
In life, relationships can sometimes develop in unexpected ways. For Bryan and I, our experience included significant difficulties during a challenging period that we were both enduring separately. At that time, overcoming these obstacles seemed unlikely. However, it was during this period that we reconnected.
As we found ourselves reconnecting, the path ahead felt about as clear as a foggy windshield on a Monday morning. If only there had been a GPS for relationships— “Turn left at Unresolved Issues, then continue straight through Emotional Roundabout.” Still, we couldn’t shake the feeling that we were somehow being nudged back together by a force bigger than both of us, like two socks meeting again after a wild ride in the dryer. Sure, the uncertainties circled above us like pop quizzes we forgot to study for, but we faced them armed with a sense of humor and a mutual understanding that sometimes, all you can do is laugh and keep moving forward.
Yet, by choosing to open up and reconnect, we realized our relationship wasn’t some rare collector’s item in short supply—there was plenty of love to go around and even a few bonus rounds.
This experience taught us a thing or two about faith, divine timing, resilience and endurance—basically, that the “waiting room” of life sometimes feels like it’s equipped with uncomfortable chairs and outdated magazines. Still, each awkward pause or unexpected twist was an opportunity for us to grow stronger, deepen our trust, and perhaps develop a taste for life’s unexpected plot twists. a willingness to laugh when you realize you’ve put something together upside down. Building a strong relationship, we discovered, is a bit like learning to dance together: sometimes you step on each other’s toes, sometimes you miss the beat, but with patience and a sense of humor, you find your rhythm and enjoy the music along the way.
Reflecting on our journey, it became clear that God was redeeming our past experiences, preparing us to step into a hopeful and promising future filled with love and purpose. While the act of waiting felt daunting, it was often in those still moments that God was actively preparing our hearts for the love we sought. Even though waiting felt endless, it was often during those “buffering” moments that we got the best downloads—preparation for what was to come.
As we move forward, we’re reminded that sometimes, the best things truly do come to those who wait—especially if you can find a way to laugh while you’re waiting. We’re embracing the journey, knowing that even the most confusing detours can lead to a future bursting with purpose, love, and perhaps a few more inside jokes. 😉
