It takes a long time to grow and mature fruit.
Waiting
is hard to do! That’s why we like the
express (lane), fast (food), rapid (transit) and quickie (stores). There’s nothing that raises one’s blood
pressure faster than arriving at the checkout line with fifteen or more people
ahead of you! When it comes to patience;
what ever we want, we want it now!
God’s
Word however is clear that most of life’s greatest lessons are learned by
waiting. It’s been said that “waiting
rooms can be hard classrooms”. God’s
Word tells us that he will compensate those who’ll wait on Him. Without a doubt we want the compensation but
it’s the waiting that becomes our problem.
Most
would agree that nothing great is ever accomplished without persistence and
patience. Just ask any entrepreneur who
gets his idea to become a reality. Those
who succeed in life are usually those who are willing to do what they don’t
feel like doing! No one feels like
waiting; so why does God so often make us wait?
1. God makes us wait in order for us to discover
His will.
Lamentations
3:25 (NKJV) The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul
who seeks Him.
Even
as we wait, God is doing a work. As we
wait our focus is upon Him. We’re
looking to Him to show us the way or provide what’s needed. It keeps us dependent upon Him. That’s where our focus should be. That’s where our dependence needs to be
placed. He is to be our Lord and the one
who is directing our lives.
2. God makes us wait in order to increase our
endurance and strength. (See Isaiah 40:29-31)
If
we are able to appropriate or achieve whatever we wanted; we would never seek
God or His help. It is in our weakness
that God reveals Himself. When we admit
our need of God; it then allows Him to do a work in us. Being patient and waiting on God increases
our faith, endurance and strength! The
weak seek instant gratification; the strong can delay it and wait for it.
3. God makes us wait in order for us to give Him
the glory.
Isaiah
64:4c (NKJV) “God acts for the one who waits for Him.”
While
we’re waiting; God is working on our behalf.
Don’t be misled into thinking that nothing is being done because you
cannot see it being done. Consider Jesus
who at this very moment is continually mediating on your behalf with the
Father! (see 1Tim 2:5)
Therefore,
when God does act and we experience His goodness, we will know without a doubt
that He had done it and we will praise Him for it.
It
takes a long time to grow a fruit tree before it bears fruit. With constant pruning and care by the
gardener the time will come for the tree to bear its fruit. But it takes patience! God is the expert gardener. Trust Him and wait for Him because the fruit
will be worth it.
