Tired of Waiting

Tired of Waiting

Are you tired of waiting for one of God's good promises to be fulfilled in your life? Have you received it, claimed it, believed for it, fought the good fight of faith with it—and still have yet to see it come to pass?

If so, don't give up! Things can change in a day.

Think about the significant events in the lives of our fathers and mothers in the faith. One day Sarah, Abraham's wife, was just an old woman with a barren womb. The next, she was pregnant with the child of promise. After 24 years of waiting for God's word to come to pass, she was doubtful. But her situation changed in just one day!

One day David was being forced to live like a gypsy, running from the armies of King Saul. The next, his enemy was dead, and he was not only a free man but the anointed heir to the throne. David too had had a word from God—and after 15 years, he too had probably begun to doubt. But God saw to it that he became king on the appointed day.

There are other examples. What about Esther? One day she was a young Israelite woman with an uncertain future. The next, she was Ahasuerus' queen.

One day Jeremiah was just a kid. The next, he was a prophet to the nation of Israel.

One day the Jewish people were lost, wondering why the heavens were silent and God no longer spoke to them. The next, they were gazing into the eyes of their long-awaited Messiah.

One day the disciples were hiding in an upper room for fear of persecution. The next, they were filled with the power of the promised Holy Spirit and eager to preach, teach and work miracles in Jesus' name!

Now think about your life. Can you point to times when things changed drastically for you—in just a day? Perhaps you graduated from college or had a major career change or bought your first house or gave birth to a child. One day your circumstances could be defined one way, and the next, they were totally different.

The most profound example in any of our lives is the day you and I were sinners, but the next we were saints. Just that way, one day you may be unaware of your purpose and the next, you will be walking in destiny.

That's the way it is when God takes control of your life. He gives you a word, a promise, a vision and begins to set into motion all the things that are required to bring it into being.

But he doesn't cause it to be fulfilled until just the right moment. He allows you to wait—in order to prepare you and teach you to trust in Him.

The waiting does not negate the validity of His word. "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He spoken, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19).

Sometimes we become impatient because God's timing is not the same as ours. We want Him to do the thing as soon as He speaks it!

Or we develop expectations because a particular word has a time frame attached to it. But we must remember that even the most seasoned believer "[sees] through a glass darkly" (1 Corinthians 13:12) and may not have God's timing perfectly in view.

There is always a need to test each word you receive. But once you are sure you've heard God's voice, either through someone else or in your own heart, have faith that His promise will be fulfilled—if not today, perhaps tomorrow.

Look forward to all the good things He had ordained for you (see Psalm 84:11), and trust that they will come at His appointed time--the optimum time for your good and His glory.