Nobody tells you that grief is slow. We want it to have a timeline — six months, a year, some finish line where we get our “normal” back. But grief doesn’t work on our schedule. It works on God’s, and His clock and mine have never quite matched.
James knew something about waiting in suffering. He wrote to people who were hurting and told them to be patient like a farmer waiting on a harvest — “You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful” (James 5:11, ESV).
A farmer doesn’t dig up the seeds every week to check if they’re working. He waits. He trusts what’s happening underground. That’s what patience in suffering looks like — trusting that God is growing something in the dark soil of your grief, even when you can’t see a single sprout yet.
In this episode, I share what I’m learning about waiting on God when the suffering is long — and the quiet hope that keeps me planting.
Listen to the episode:
If you’re tired of waiting, this one’s for you. Share it with a mom in the long middle of grief. And remember — in the U.S. or Canada, 988 is available any time you need support.
