Read Isaiah 40:1-11

Waiting can make you feel forgotten. When prayers seem to hang in the air and answers feel delayed, your heart may wonder if God still sees you. Israel felt that deeply. After years of silence and suffering, God’s first words to His people through Isaiah were not commands or corrections—they were comfort. “Comfort, comfort my people.” Before God explained anything, He wanted His people to know His heart for them. He was closer than they imagined in their waiting, and His compassion was stronger than their despair.

These words reveal a God who does not rush past your pain. He does not scold you for your longing or impatience. Instead, He moves toward you with tenderness. Isaiah describes Him as a shepherd who gathers lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. This is not distant care—it is intimate presence. When you wait, God doesn’t step back. He draws near. He holds you. He comforts you with Himself.

Advent begins with this promise: waiting is not wasted when God is in it. His delays are not signs of disinterest but of preparation. Israel didn’t know how God was working, but He was preparing the arrival of the Messiah—the greatest answer to humanity’s deepest need. In your own life, God is shaping something good, even when you can’t see it yet. His timeline may stretch your patience, but it never jeopardizes His faithfulness. Waiting becomes holy when you trust the One who waits with you.

What would it look like to receive God’s comfort right now—not after circumstances change, but in the middle of uncertainty? Advent invites you to loosen your grip on timelines and expectations and instead rest in the arms of the Shepherd who carries you close to His heart. He is steady when everything else feels fragile. He is gentle when your spirit feels worn. His nearness gives meaning to the waiting, and His presence becomes your peace. You are not alone. Not today. Not ever.

Reflection Questions:

• What part of Isaiah’s message of “comfort” stands out to you most?
  
• How does the image of God as a gentle Shepherd shape your understanding of His care?
  
• Where in your life do you feel the weight of waiting most heavily?
  
• How can you welcome God’s comfort into that space today?

Journaling Prompt:

Take time to write about the places where you feel delayed or discouraged. Invite Jesus to speak His comfort over you and picture Him carrying you close to His heart.