Talk With Gloria: How to Thrive in the Waiting Season Without Losing Faith in God’s Timing (Part 2)

Talk With Gloria

By Gloria O Ukamaka 

Today, let’s pick up where we left off in the first part of this conversation.
We talked about the gift of singleness, how waiting isn’t a curse but a season loaded with purpose.
Now, let’s lean into something equally vital: how to actually walk through this waiting with both hope and discernment.
Because let’s be real, hope without wisdom can make you naïve.
And wisdom without hope can make you cynical.
You need both.

A Story I’ll Never Forget

Some time ago, I met someone who at first glance, felt like the exact answer to prayer.
He checked every box: has a great value system, gentle voice, charming texts, even loved the things of God.
We slipped into hours of conversation like it was the most natural thing.
But a few weeks in, tiny inconsistencies started to surface.
Little details he’d once told me about his life didn’t line up with new ones.
Stories started shifting.
At first, I brushed it off maybe I’d misheard.
Still, something inside wouldn’t let it slide.
I began to listen more carefully, to ask simple clarifying questions.
And I prayed, sometimes in the middle of those conversations asking God to expose what I couldn’t see.
It didn’t take long before the picture became clear: this was not who he first appeared to be.
And that gentle nudge inside of me that quiet “pay attention” turned out to be God’s mercy, saving me from what would have been an exhausting, confusing road.
That experience taught me something priceless: counterfeits rarely show up looking like counterfeit.
They come as what you’ve been hoping for.
Which is why waiting with discernment matters.

Guarding the Heart

Hopeful waiting isn’t passive.
It’s an active choice to protect the space where your deepest longings live.
Guarding your heart isn’t about building walls so high no one can reach you.
It’s about setting healthy emotional boundaries so your heart doesn’t get tangled in situations that drain you or lead to compromise.
For me, that means:
Being honest about my capacity. I don’t entertain marathon late-night chats with someone whose intentions are unclear.
Clarify motives early. If someone is vague about where this is heading, I don’t stay in the “grey zone” hoping it’ll magically define itself.
These aren’t rules to make you hard to love.
They’re safeguards so your hope stays whole while you wait.

Recognizing Counterfeits

Here’s what I’ve learned:
A counterfeit doesn’t always look like a “bad person.”
Often, it’s someone good on paper, but not aligned with God’s plan for you.
How to spot it?
Watch for inconsistency. When words and actions start to live in different zip codes, pay attention.
Listen to your inner check. The Holy Spirit’s nudge is often quiet but persistent.
Ask the hard questions. Don’t be afraid of clarity.
And if you sense that inner “pause or unrest” don’t silence it.
Counterfeits test whether you value God’s timing more than your own impatience.

Faithful Expectation

Hopeful waiting isn’t sitting in a corner folding your arms until someone shows up. It’s a state of active trust, believing that God writes the best stories while staying open-handed with your own script.
I’ve had to remind myself: wanting marriage is beautiful, but marriage is not the proof of my worth.
I pray for my future spouse, yes.
But I also pray for my own heart to stay soft, joyful, and available for whatever God is doing now.
That’s faithful expectation: longing without clinging.

Community & Accountability

You’re not meant to navigate this season alone.
One of the best gifts in my waiting season has been a handful of friends and mentors who speak life and wisdom when my emotions run wild.
They check in. They ask hard questions when I’m tempted to settle.
They celebrate wins with me and gently call me out when I start spiraling into comparison.
Your circle matters.
Find people who can remind you of truth when your feelings get loud.

Hope That Doesn’t Shame

Waiting can get messy when everyone around you seems to be moving forward posting engagement photos, hosting baby showers, planning housewarmings.
Here’s what I’ve learned: hope that shames isn’t hope at all.
If your hope turns into bitterness because your timeline looks different, it’s time to take a rest.
God’s timing isn’t a competition.
Your story isn’t late; it’s custom-made.

Celebrating Others

This one is harder than it sounds, but it’s freedom.
Rejoicing with someone else’s answered prayer doesn’t diminish what God is writing for you.
I’ve made it a habit: when a friend gets engaged or married, I show up fully.
I cheer, I pray blessings over their home.
It’s not pretending I don’t have desires of my own.
It’s choosing to believe that God’s goodness is big enough for all of us.

God’s Word

Even when it feels like nothing is happening, God is still working.
I often come back to this verse:
“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” — Exodus 14:14
Waiting isn’t wasted time.
He is shaping your heart, healing old wounds, and aligning details you can’t yet see.
Trust that the same God who parts seas knows how to write your love story too.

Final Thoughts

Walking through waiting with hope and discernment isn’t about gritting your teeth until something finally changes.
It’s about becoming, becoming someone who trusts deeply, loves wisely, and remains open to God’s perfect timing.
So guard your heart.
Spot the counterfeits.
Live in faithful expectation.
Surround yourself with voices that breathe life.
And celebrate others as you go.
Because the season you’re in is not permanent.

Let’s Talk

Have you spotted a counterfeit before?
How did God reveal it to you?

Share in the comments your story might be the clarity someone else is praying for.

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