Jumping Ahead | From the Archives

Waiting and patience.

These could possibly be some of the hardest life lessons to learn. As believers, a large part of our waiting is not on simple things but on God’s timing. It does not matter what stage in life we are in: single, married, pregnant, with a home full of little kids, with a home of unmarried daughters, or other, there are times in which we are required to wait.

Part of waiting on God is in trusting Him – putting our full expectations, dreams, and desires in His care and leaving the results up to Him. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, 

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. (KJV)

Why do we need to trust God? 

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) 

God has His special plan for each of our lives, but to discover this plan, we must trust in Him, seek His face, and wait.

It is simple to say, “wait.” The struggle comes with the application. The tempter will use deceitful lies to entice us to jump ahead of God’s perfect timing. Our own excitement and emotions will also cause us to neglect to be still and wait for God’s leading. But what does God’s Word say? 

Be still, and know that I am God: (Psalm 46:10)

We have a choice to “wait patiently” or to “jump ahead.” There is a blessing or consequence depending on the choice we make.

Some of the blessings of waiting

God is good to us. 

The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh him. (Lamentations 3:25)

It builds our trust in God.

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defence; I shall not be moved. (Psalm 62:5-6)

Some of the consequences of jumping ahead

Leanness of the soul.

They soon forgat His works; they waited not for His counsel: But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. (Psalm 106:13-15)

God will give us up to our own lusts

But My people would not hearken to My voice; and Israel would none of Me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels. (Psalm 81:11-12) 

They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. (Proverbs 1:30-31)

Is waiting worth it? 

Absolutely!

Is waiting sometimes a struggle? 

Indeed! 

But I challenge you...

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Psalm 27:14

Previously published on September 6, 2012