Have you prayed and prayed for something, yet there was no manifestation? How often did you not wait for the fruit to ripen, often insisting on picking it while it was still green? Of course, you have. The demand for instant results has permeated our society.
As an example, you have a meltdown while waiting on the phone listening to an automated message. In your frustration, you scream at your phone and proceed to hit the “0” button repeatedly until a live person answers. In 2003, the Journal of the American Medical Association linked impatience to increased risk of hypertension among adults.
Or perhaps you have grown impatient while waiting in lines. Recently, while I was standing in a long checkout line at the grocery store, the checkout process seemed to take too long, so I switched to another line. Ironically, I picked the wrong line. The person who took my place in the line that I had just left, checked out before me.
Surely, these are harmless examples, but what if you hastened the end-result, and adversely changed the intended outcome? One such example in the Bible was of Abraham and Sarah; they did not wait for God to give them the son that He had promised (Genesis 16:1-2).
“God moves in His timing, not yours. He is never late, but He is usually not early either. He is often the God of the midnight hour. He sometimes waits until the last second before He gives you what you need. Before He intervenes on your behalf, He has to be sure you are not going to take matters into your own hands and do something out of His perfect timing. You must learn to trust God’s timing. But first, your self-will and your spirit of independence must be broken so that God is free to work His will in your life and circumstances. If you are waiting for something, set aside your own timetable tonight. Trust God and believe that while you are waiting for your breakthrough, He is doing a good work in you for His purpose.“[1]
Charles Henry Parkhurst enumerates below the many benefits of waiting patiently.
“Patience eliminates worry. The Lord said He would come, and His promise is equal to his presence.
Patience eliminates weeping. Why feel sad and discouraged? He knows your needs better than you do, and His purpose in waiting is to receive more glory through it.
Patience eliminates self-works. “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent” (John 6:29) and once you believe, you may know all is well.
Patience eliminates want. Perhaps your desire to get what you want is stronger than your desire for the will of God to be fulfilled.
Patience eliminates weakness. Instead of thinking of waiting being wasted time, realize that God is preparing His resources and strengthening you.
Patience eliminates wobbling. “He touched me and raised me to my feet” (Daniel 8:18). God’s foundations are steady, and when we have His patience within, we are steady while we wait. Patience yields worship. Sometimes the best part of waiting is ‘experiencing great endurance and patience…JOYFULLY.’ (Colossians 1:11).
In Jeremiah 29:11-14 it says that God knows the plans he has for you, plans for well-being and not calamity, plans to give you a future filled with hope. And when you call upon Him, it says that he will listen to you. And if you seek Him with all of your heart, it says that you will find him.
Wait patiently, therefore, for it surely will take place. Wait patiently for God’s promises because he will not disappoint those who seek him with all their heart. “It won’t be a lie. If it’s delayed, wait for it. It will certainly happen. It won’t be late.” (Habakkuk 2:3, GOD’S WORD Translation).
Copyright 2016 by Bill Hutzel
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FOOTNOTE
[1] http://www.centralbaptistsaltpoint.org/2013/06/todays-scripture.html
Here are the impatience busters:
1- Say hello to the person behind you. Ask them how they are doing.
2- Pray for the cashier.
3- Talk to the cashier and encourage them.
4- Smile and look at everyone around you. Pray.
5- Make a joke about the delay or talk about something entirely unrelated.
6- Thank God that you have the delay. See his will at work.
Thanks, Mark. Good advice.
Thanks for posting this, Bill! I surely need that reminder often! I would have made even more mistakes had I rushed to make something happen. I know He has kept me when I offer the issue I face up to Him and ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide. God opens and closes doors and all with our best interest in mind. It’s definitely not easy but as you said the more we wait on God the more He is teaching us to trust and have faith and hope.
Hi Cheryl, It’s a good reminder, for sure; for me too. It is not easy to wait for something when we want it so bad that it hurts. You and I both are waiting for the same thing, I think. But we’ve learned to trust in God’s timing. “Wait patiently for God’s promises because he will not disappoint those who seek him with all their heart.” God bless you, Cheryl, and thank you for your post “A Curious Encounter” about the woman who you invited to dinner. What a great God-incidence that was!
Thank you, Bill, for this post. God gave me that very verse several years ago concerning something I am still waiting for. This reminded me to continue to pray knowing that God knows, He still hears me when I pray about it, and He will bring it to pass at just the right time. Thanks brother.