When God Makes You Wait: Finding Purpose in Life's Dry Seasons

Jul 14

Have you ever been fishing and caught absolutely nothing? Hours of casting your line, changing lures, and repositioning your boat—all with zero results? It can feel like a complete waste of time. But what if those seemingly unproductive moments are actually teaching us one of life's most valuable lessons?

The Hidden Purpose in Waiting

"The truth about fishing is that the fishing is actually not about the catching. The fishing is about the preparation, and the fishing is about the process." This reality mirrors something profound about our spiritual lives. Often, we focus so intently on the destination that we miss what God is doing in the journey.

In Exodus 17, we find the Israelites in precisely this kind of moment. They had witnessed incredible miracles—freedom from slavery, the parting of the Red Sea, manna from heaven daily. Yet they found themselves in a desperate situation:

"So once more, the people complained against Moses... 'Give us water to drink.' They demanded, 'Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Are you trying to kill us, our children and our livestock with thirst?'" (Exodus 17:2-3)

What's fascinating about this situation is that it wasn't an accident. "At the Lord's command" (Exodus 17:1), God deliberately led them to a place with no water. Think about that—the God who created water led His people to a place where there was none.

When Waiting Feels Like Dying

The Israelites weren't just being dramatic. They were literally on the verge of death from thirst. Their journey had been tough, long, and challenging. Scholars tell us it was about a three-day journey through an area with no natural water source.

"It can feel like everyone and everything is against you. It can feel that way sometimes. But in reality, here's what God was doing. He was creating a space for them to discover something far greater than their immediate relief."

We live in an Amazon Prime world where waiting 13 days for a package feels unreasonable. We've become so accustomed to instant gratification that waiting feels like punishment rather than purpose.

Trusting God Isn't Passive—It's Active

When faced with waiting, we have a choice. We can panic like the Israelites, or we can trust like Moses. When the people were ready to stone him, Moses didn't fight back or defend himself. "Moses went to God" (Exodus 17:4).

"Trusting God in the waiting isn't passive. It's the most active form of faith you'll ever practice."

The miracle that followed wasn't just about the water that gushed from the rock. It was about the trust Moses demonstrated by obeying God's instructions to strike the rock. God could have led them to a spring, but He chose to provide in a way that required faith.

How to Wait Well

1. Remind Yourself That Waiting Is Not Wasting Time

"What if we changed our perspective on waiting from 'it's getting me from here to there' to 'what is God doing in me from here to there?'" Ask yourself: "What is God preparing me for that I don't yet see?"

2. Challenge Your Own Thinking

When we don't know all the answers, we typically fill in the blanks with negative assumptions. Ask yourself these questions:

"What do I know for sure?"
"What am I assuming?"
"Based on what I actually know, what's the most likely outcome?"

As 2 Corinthians 10:5 instructs us, we need to "take every thought captive" rather than allowing our minds to spiral into catastrophic thinking.

3. Choose to Trust

"Ultimately, when we get frustrated while we're waiting, it's because we want to be in control." But here's what I've learned after 25 years of ministry:

"God's path is always purposeful, even when it's not pleasant. God's timing is always perfect, even when it's not preferred. And God's plans are always good, even when they're not understood."

Life Application: Casting Your Line of Faith

When you're in that dry season—that one area of life where you just can't seem to get a breakthrough—remember the fisherman. He doesn't just cast once and give up. He adjusts, repositions, and keeps casting with hope and expectation.

Ask yourself: "Am I willing to trust God even when it doesn't make sense to me?" Because when you say yes to God only when it makes sense, you're not actually trusting God—you're trusting yourself.

The next time you're waiting for God to move in your life, don't view it as wasted time. Instead, see it as an invitation to the most active form of faith you'll ever practice. Like Moses striking the rock, your obedience during the waiting might just be the catalyst for the miracle you've been praying for.

Ryan Schreckenghaust

My name is Ryan Schreckenghaust and I’m the Lead Pastor at The Summit Church. Lee’s Summit is my hometown and I love connecting with people to tell them about who Jesus is.

I am a graduate of William Jewell College and, after changing my major countless times, felt God’s nudge to invest my life in the work of the local church. I graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Psychology. I then attended Rockbridge Seminary where I earned the Master of Ministry Leadership degree.

I was licensed to the Gospel Ministry in 2003, ordained as a Pastor/Elder in 2013, licensed as Local Church Pastor in the United Methodist Church in 2019, and completed the United Methodist Course of Study in 2021.

I have worked at several churches over the last 20 years where I served in roles such as Student Ministry Pastor, Creative Arts Pastor, and Executive Pastor. I’ve also worked professionally as a social media strategist in the marketing department at a Fortune 500 company.

I’ve been married to my wife Rebekah for more than 20 years. Rebekah is a school counselor at a local middle school. Together we have two boys, Jackson and Camden, and a Weimaraner named Poppy. I love time with my family, reading and watching my favorite sports teams!