When you’re waiting on God (for healing, for a spouse, for work, for a child to come home, for direction, or for a prayer you have prayed for a long time), it can be hard to know what to say to Him anymore. Some days the words pour out. Other days you sit down to pray and nothing comes.
If that’s where you are, here are seven short prayers for the waiting season, each rooted in a verse of Scripture (ESV) and followed by a few journal prompts. Use one a day for a week, or come back to whichever one fits today. You don’t need beautiful words. God hears honest ones.
1. A prayer for honesty
“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.”
— Psalm 62:8 (ESV)
Pray: Father, I don’t want to pretend with you. You already know what I’m carrying, so I’m pouring it out: the hope, the disappointment, the questions I’m almost afraid to ask. Thank you that you are a refuge and not a judge when I come to you honestly. Meet me here. Amen.
Journal prompts:
- What am I waiting for right now, in my own words?
- What feeling have I been avoiding telling God about?
- What would it look like to “pour out my heart” to Him today?
2. A prayer to trust Him more than my own understanding
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
— Proverbs 3:5–6 (ESV)
Pray: Lord, I keep trying to figure this out: the why, the when, the how. I confess I lean on my own understanding more than I lean on you. Today I choose to trust you with the parts I can’t see. Straighten my path, one step at a time. Amen.
Journal prompts:
- Where am I trying hardest to work out the outcome myself?
- What do I know to be true about God’s character, even when I don’t understand His timing?
- What is one small next step I can take in trust today?
3. A prayer for peace when I feel anxious
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
— Philippians 4:6–7 (ESV)
Pray: God, my thoughts race ahead to every “what if.” Here are my requests, laid out plainly before you. I thank you for what you have already done. Guard my heart and my mind with your peace, the kind that doesn’t depend on having answers. Amen.
Journal prompts:
- What “what ifs” keep coming back to me?
- What can I thank God for today, right in the middle of the wait?
- Where have I felt His peace before, even briefly?
4. A prayer for strength to keep going
“But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
— Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)
Pray: Lord, I’m tired. Waiting has worn me down more than I expected. You promise new strength to those who wait for you. I don’t need to soar today. Help me to walk and not faint. Carry me when I can’t carry myself. Amen.
Journal prompts:
- Where do I feel most worn out: body, mind, faith or relationships?
- What gives me a little strength on hard days?
- What would it mean to let God carry this with me this week?
5. A prayer for the hard days
“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
— Psalm 34:18 (ESV)
Pray: Father, today hurts. I don’t have the words for everything I feel, but I know you are near to the brokenhearted, and that includes me. Stay close. Hold what I can’t hold. Let me feel your nearness today, even in the ache. Amen.
Journal prompts:
- What made today especially hard?
- Where have I seen, even faintly, that God is near?
- Who is one person I could let into this with me?
6. A prayer to surrender the timeline
“But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hand.”
— Psalm 31:14–15a (ESV)
Pray: Lord, I have a timeline in my head, and it isn’t going the way I planned. I say it again: you are my God, and my times are in your hand, not mine. Loosen my grip on the calendar. Teach me to rest in your timing, even when it’s slower than I want. Amen.
Journal prompts:
- What deadline or timeline have I been holding onto?
- How would my days change if I truly believed my times are in God’s hands?
- What can I enjoy or give to today, instead of only waiting for “someday”?
7. A prayer of hope for this morning
“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
— Lamentations 3:22–23 (ESV)
Pray: God, thank you that your mercy didn’t run out overnight. This morning I get fresh mercy and fresh grace. Whatever today holds, I want to begin it remembering that your steadfast love never ceases and that you are faithful. Amen.
Journal prompts:
- What new mercy can I notice today, however small?
- When has God been faithful to me in a past season of waiting?
- What truth do I want to carry into today?
Tips for praying and journaling while you wait
- Keep it short. Five honest minutes is enough. Consistency matters more than length.
- Write your prayers down. Months from now, you’ll be able to look back and see how God met you, sometimes in ways you missed at the time.
- Record small graces. A kind text, a verse that landed, a moment of peace. Waiting seasons are full of quiet evidence that God is working.
- Be gentle with yourself. Some days you’ll pray with faith and some days with tears. Both are welcome.
Want a guided place to keep going?
The While I Wait 30-day prayer journal picks up where this post leaves off. Each of its 30 days includes a key Bible verse, a short devotional reflection, guided journaling prompts, a truth to carry with you and a simple daily practice. It’s available as a printable digital PDF or a spiral-bound edition.
If a morning cup helps you settle into prayer, the While I Wait, I Will Trust mug and the Psalm 5:3 morning prayer mug were made for that quiet moment. You can also browse our journal gift sets.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.