When the In-Between Feels Heavy: Trusting God in the Seasons We Cannot Yet See

There’s a particular ache that comes with waiting, isn’t there?

I felt it yesterday when my phone buzzed with a message I’d been hoping for. I felt it again when my best-friend-of-forever moved away and our relationship shifted. I felt it loudly when I saw yet another announcement on social media about the newest thing I didn’t have. It makes me wonder sometimes—does the ache ever actually disappear? Do we ever reach a point where we feel settled in the season we’re in?

Waiting often feels like the space where nothing is happening. But what if the in-between is actually where God is doing His most transformative work? What if the quiet place you’re standing in right now is the very place where He’s inviting you to trust Him without timelines, surrender what you can’t force, and yield to Him as He shapes you in ways fast seasons never could?

The Biblical Invitation to Endure

James 1:2–4 reminds us: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

This passage shows us that endurance is not passive. In Scripture, perseverance is often tied to spiritual maturity, depth, and wholeness. The Greek word for perseverance, hypomonē, carries the idea of steadfastness—staying under the weight of something with hope and trust. It is not gritting your teeth. It is God sustaining you as He strengthens your faith.

That means your waiting is not wasted. God is forming fruit—even when you can’t see the harvest yet. Throughout Scripture, God often works slowly and quietly: Joseph’s years in prison, Moses’ decades in the wilderness, David’s long wait between anointing and throne. In each story, God was shaping character before fulfilling calling.

Growth Happens in the Unseen Places

We often assume growth happens once the prayer is answered, once the door finally opens, or once the season shifts. But Scripture flips that idea upside down. The in-between is the soil—the unseen place where your roots are stretching deeper than you realize.

This is exactly how Jesus describes the Kingdom in Mark 4:26–29. A farmer plants seed, and while he sleeps, the seed grows—though he does not know how. God grows what we cannot see or measure. Growth isn’t something that waits for your circumstances to change; it’s something God is cultivating in you right now.

What Do We Do While We Wait?

So what do we do while we wait?

We keep showing up.
We pray honest, unpolished prayers.
We stay in the Word even when it feels quiet.
We choose hope even when it feels fragile.
We open our hands when we’d rather clench our fists.

None of this is glamorous, but all of it is holy. This is spiritual formation in real time; ordinary obedience in the middle of uncertainty.

God Is Not Withholding from You

Friend, God is not withholding from you. He is preparing you. His timing is always purposeful, even when it is not predictable. If you feel stuck in the in-between today, take heart. Your Father sees you. He is near. And He is growing something in you that will sustain you long after this waiting season is over.

Prayer

Lord, meet me in the waiting. Grow my trust, strengthen my hope, and steady my heart. Amen.

Meet the Author
Reanna Hoffman

Reanna is a writer, speaker, coach, and host of the Not Just Waiting Podcast, where she equips women to wait well and actively pursue Jesus in every season. A former teacher who followed God’s call into new adventures, Reanna is passionate about reminding others they are seen, valued, and deeply loved by God. Whether she’s writing, coaching, or baking something sweet, she believes the Lord is the best adventure guide—and she’s just getting started.

Connect with her on Instagram here.