Waiting for God

By Juanita Ryan

We spend much of our life waiting. For healing for ourselves or a friend. For a wayward daughter to return to God. For a new job. For marriage and children and grandchildren. Sometimes the waiting can cause us to feel stuck, or forgotten by God. But waiting time is not wasted time. In this eight-session LifeGuide® Bible Study by Juanita Ryan help you draw near to God in times of uncertainty and postponement. As she leads you and your group through significant moments of waiting in Scripture, you will become familiar with the dynamics of such times and learn to hear God?s call to rest in his timing. For over three decades LifeGuide Bible Studies have provided solid biblical content and raised thought-provoking questions—making for a one-of-a-kind Bible study experience for individuals and groups. This series has more than 130 titles on Old and New Testament books, character studies, and topical studies.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IVP Bible Studies
• Release date: Sep 27, 2012
• ISBN: 9780830863921

Juanita Ryan

Juanita Ryan is a clinical nurse specialist with an MSN in psychiatric mental health nursing. She has taught mental health nursing at Bethel University, Rio Hondo Community College and Biola University. She is currently a therapist in private practice at Brea Family Counseling Center in Brea, California. She is the coauthor of The Twelve Steps: A Spiritual Kindergarten and the author or coauthor of over thirty InterVarsity Press Bible studies.

Book preview

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WAITING

FOR GOD

8 STUDIES FOR INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS

JUANITA RYAN

Contents

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF WAITING FOR GOD

Leader’s Notes

Notes

About the Author

More Titles from InterVarsity Press

Getting the Most Out of Waiting for God

How long, O God, how long? Will you forget me forever? This was the cry of the psalmist. It was the cry of many of the prophets. It may also be the cry of your heart at this time in your life. Or it may be that you endured such a time in your past and are left with questions about it. Maybe you also know someone who is going through such a time.

We will all experience times of waiting in the midst of uncertainty or suffering or great need. During these times we may feel desperate for something to change or for a sign of hope that things will change soon. But often in our periods of waiting, nothing happens, nothing changes. If anything, things seem to get worse.

In the midst of such waiting it can seem like God is silent. We might fear that God has forgotten us and feel too discouraged to even turn to God for help. Or we may turn to God only to become more frightened and dismayed because our prayers for help or deliverance seem to go unanswered.

Not all waiting is painful. Sometimes waiting is a time of great anticipation outwardly, such as when we’re planning a wedding, expecting a new child in the family, or preparing for an exciting change of job or location. But even these happier times of waiting can be full of anxieties. We may fear that something will go terribly wrong. Or that we are making the wrong decision. Or that we will not be adequate for the task. Or that we will not have the emotional or social skills to weather the adaptation. These fears are often hidden, sometimes even from ourselves, but they can make even times of excited waiting very difficult. And again we may find inwardly that we are having trouble trusting God to protect and provide for us.

How is it possible to meet God in our times of waiting? How do we meet God when God seems unresponsive to our desperate need?

The God of the Bible is the God who has promised to always be with us. Always. Even in our times of waiting. Even when our situation is desperate or our heart is full of anxiety. Even when we believe God is silent or unresponsive to our need or inattentive to our future. Even when we feel like we have lost all faith.

The following studies are designed to help you give voice to your distress and gain perspective on your fears in times of waiting, and to open your heart and mind to the One who is with you always.

Suggestions for Individual Study

1. As you begin each study, pray that God will speak to you through his Word.

2. Read the introduction to the study and respond to the personal reflection question or exercise. This is designed to help you focus on God and on the theme of the study.

3. Each study deals with a particular passage so that you can delve into the author’s meaning in that context.