The Ability To Wait

If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time I will wait, till my change come” (Job 14:14, KJV);
If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare would I wait, till my release should come” (Job 14:14, ASV)

In today’s fast paced world, a world of instant messaging, instant coffee, instant skyping, etc., waiting is becoming increasing difficult, particularly for the younger generation. But anyone who will walk with God and make strides in the spirit realm have to embrace the concept of waiting. Our God uses waiting and patience to prove our faith and infuse maturity in us (James 1:2-4). Holding on during intense, pressured moment builds capacity in us and forces us to seek God. Waiting makes us abide with the process of life and perfect the process of development. For example, a pregnant woman carrying a child doesn’t have a choice but to accept and abide with the inconveniences of pregnancy. She has to go through the process (i.e. nine months of pregnancy) in order to get a favorable outcome. The scriptures say it is good to both hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord (Lamentation 3:26). Our opening text tells us that waiting time is akin to warfare or examination time, and how we utilize such a time matters a lot. Below are some truths to consider:

Wait Actively: Waiting isn’t always synonymous with passivity or inactivity. The Bible says we should rejoice in anticipation (Romans 12:12). The prophet Elijah on Mount Carmel, while waiting for rain to fall after a drought of three and a half years, kept on requesting his servant to go check the clouds. He was active while waiting. Waiting time is crucial, and hence must be taken seriously. We must learn to listen to divine instructions during our waiting period. We should also learn from the eagle which goes into waiting to renew itself. It retreats and goes into seclusion for many days to pluck off its weak feathers and beak, allowing new ones to emerge. We are to use waiting time to seek God, do spiritual warfare, memorize scriptures, perfect our art, chill and allow a new ‘us’ to emerge.

Wait Expectantly: A vision, goal or dream always speaks at the end, and not at the beginning. This is what makes the goal or dream worth waiting for. If you desire it, and the desire is within God’s will for you, it shall surely come to pass. Faith in God approves God, and this approval is pleasing to Him (Hebrews 11:6). His faithfulness to fulfill promises is always evident to all when the dream is realized (1 Thessalonians 5:24). When one keeps looking to God for a desire to manifest, it commits Him to perform. Make bold statements about your desire and proclaim it on the rooftop for people to hear. This kind of action propels God to manifest His power and glory to you.

Wait for the coming of the King: “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord, see how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, ……, You also be patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:7-8). A faithful employee is one who does his work diligently at all times whether the employer is present or not. Jesus is coming back, and it’s only those who endure to the very end shall be saved. Endurance means staying ability. The way we live our lives is proof of whether we believe or not that Jesus is coming back. We should live in a state of preparedness always before God, so that we will not be caught napping at the coming of the Lord (Luke 12:35-40).

CONCLUSION: It is divine providence to sometimes delay manifestation; hence, the need for us to develop the ability to wait (John 11:5-6). Also, cutting corners or short circuiting the process will always have adverse consequences. But abiding and embracing the process results in favorable outcomes.

Ade(Gboyega) ESAN
www.rccgpittsburgh.net
http://gboyegae.blogspot.com

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