For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

As an elder, one of my training assignments was to visit the waiting room of a hospital and pray for those in the room with me. I didn’t have to say a word, just pray.

As I looked around the room, I couldn’t help but imagine their stories. Was the young couple in the corner waiting for an ultrasound of their unborn baby? Was the older gentleman near the front waiting for details about his wife’s sickness? Whatever their reason for being there, they needed prayer because waiting is one of life’s hardest seasons.

Jeremiah 29:11 is a promise for people who are waiting. It wasn’t spoken as a quick fix. It was a reminder that waiting on God produces good results. The verse before it told them how long they had to wait – 70 years. But verse 11 says why the waiting was worth it.

In this season of waiting, let us be encouraged that God knows how long we need to wait before receiving the blessing he has for us. Whether short or long, what God has for us is worth the wait.