The Waiting Factor
As a matter of fact, there are those of us reading this or others that we know that are already facing hard time with the demand to ‘wait’.
For some of us, the waiting started from the beginning of this year and we thought in our mind that by now, it would have been a ‘boom’ experience and then ‘here comes the promise of the Lord’. Unfortunately, it has not been so. Though there are and still will be many great promises from the Lord concerning our life, marriages, ministries, career, relationships, finances and all the rest, it is important not to neglect that every promise comes with a ‘waiting’ demand.
Lest we forget, Abraham had to wait for the promised seed (after making a mistake through impatience); Moses had to wait for the manifestation of what he dreamed about Israel’s freedom (after making a mistake through impatience); the Israelites had to wait for the set time for their freedom; Job waited until his change came; David waited in hiding until the throne became his. Jesus the Christ until His time came; and even God had to wait until Noah completed the ark before the first destruction.
So what do you do during a ‘waiting’ period and how does that contribute to your success in life? The Psalmist said “I wait for the Lord, I expectantly wait, and in His word do I hope.” (Ps 130:5 Amplified Bible). Waiting on the Lord keeps you expectant and hopeful. These two are powerful ingredients that can move the heart and hands of God at any time. People who are in haste are neither expectant nor hopeful and so go to sort their issues outside of God’s support. This can actually be disastrous.
The Prophet Isaiah once said this about waiting on God, “He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound]. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and [selected] young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted; But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.” (Isaiah 40:29–31). It is clear here that rushing to gain success with neglect to waiting for God’s guidance and support will lead to frustrations. It does not depend on your strength or ability, it is all about God’s ability which He gives to only those who wait on Him.
Looking around, you will see the havoc that impatience have caused to our marriages and relationships, choice of career paths and investments, choice of government and the consequent policies. There has never been a time in history where it was better to haste out than to wait patiently for God’s leading. Even though the immediate result may be sweet and looks good, at the long run, things may change for worse and bring regrets. It is better to wait on the Lord than to take actions on your own.
I do not want to make it look simple as if it very easy to wait, but I will like to assure you that whatever you wait for in God will sure come to you. The prophet, Habakkuk encouraged us thus, “For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfilment]; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behindhand on its appointed day.” (Habakkuk 2:3 Amplified Bible). I know that one of the reasons for our lack of wait is fear of failure and the unknown. But if you can put your trust in God, He will come through for you at the appointed time.
My encourage to you is that is this week; you need to wait on the Lord for that expectation. Do not hurry yourself out of God’s planned success and blessing for you. Wait patiently. This is a great virtue that will work out great blessing in your walk with God.
Photo credit: Joshua Earle via Unsplash.com
