Anyone who truly knows me is aware that I tend to be a pretty patient individual. I have a feeling that my wife would call it being stubbornly persistent, but I like to think of myself as being determined. Either way, I sincerely try to keep moving forward without becoming too high or too low; especially in situations which are outside of my control.
This has not always been the case. It took years of praying, fighting frustration, and realizing that God was not ignoring or punishing me during what seemed to be periods of prolonged silence. It actually may not have been a long time before God answered, but even adults often want what we want, when we want it.
I had to learn, through experience, that sometimes God says “Wait!”… and it was always for my good.
There are several reasons why God may tell us to wait:
1. Perhaps, like He did with Abraham, The Lord is developing our faith in Him. Faith, which includes perhaps as much perseverance as it does patience, is not shown by what we receive from God. Faith is demonstrated in our commitment to stand firm, continue to trust, believe and work for God’s kingdom. Even when it does not appear like it will happen, we must remain confident that God will do exactly what He said. Faith’s reward is the fulfillment of God’s promises.
2. Perhaps God tells us to wait because, as was the case with Job, He trusts us enough to know that we will stand firm on what is recorded in Job 14:14b and even through tears be able to say:
All the days of my warfare and service I will wait, till my change and release shall come.
From the Amplified Bible
3. Perhaps God tells us to wait because He wants others to learn a lesson as they witness us receive God’s blessing. In John 11, Jesus told His disciples He was glad they were not present at the time Lazarus died. This was not because He was insensitive to the pain that Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha, were experiencing, but instead so that the faith of the disciples would be deepened. This was not just faith the disciples had in Christ and His power over death, but also faith to understand that God could use them to accomplish the greater works for which Jesus was preparing them.
4. Or, perhaps, as I believe is the reason why I was told to “wait”, The Lord wants us to live out the message of Jesus in Matthew 5:5 where He says Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Meekness is not weakness. It takes great faith and discipline to not allow our emotions to override in certain situations and cause us to argue, become depressed, quit, take matters into our own hands, act out of character or try to get even. It may sound like a cliché, but it is true that blessings and answers are not necessarily denied just because they have been delayed.
Sometimes, God says wait because there is something even greater that He is either preparing us for or will present to us.
If God has not told you “yes” and you are certain He has not said “no”, I encourage you to wait in faith. It may be challenging at times, but faith in God is always worth the wait.
Your Turn:
What are some times when God has told you to wait and afterwards you experienced something far greater than what you expected?
I listed a few reasons for waiting above, but what are some other reasons you can think of for God to tell us to wait?
I am interested in your comments and feedback.
