We live in a fast paced world. Always moving. Always progressing at a rapid pace. We have fast food restaurants so we don’t have to cook. DVR so we can fast forward through commercials and see our favorite shows. E-Mail so we don’t have to wait on the postal service to deliver our pertinent messages. We have quick fixes and solutions for just about everything. Progression is good but this fast paced environment has eliminated a fundamental part of life, especially spiritual life and that is (cue the horns): WAITING. Who does that anymore? Nobody wants to wait for anything. But if there is one thing that Christ is clear about it is waiting. In bible story after story God demonstrates through His children the process of waiting. The word says “ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6). There are so many lessons that can be gleaned in the waiting periods of our lives if we’d just sit still and hear God in the middle. Here are a few lessons learned from waiting:
1) Waiting teaches you who you are – it is said that the fabric of a person is not seen in the good times but in those times that are difficult. Waiting is a difficult time for many but it teaches you things about who you really are that you can’t discover at a speedy pace. For example, a car driving on the highway may appear void of denting and scratching because the fast pace doesn’t allow you to see its flaws. But, if you see that same car at a red light, the damage is more apparent. Waiting works the same way, it allows you to slow down so you stop covering up your dents but allow you to see yourself as you really are. And as you discover your flaws waiting is a good time to work on the healing process. (James 1:2-4)
2) Waiting gives you rest – waiting forces you to sit down and rest. When you realize that God really in fact is in control, true rest can be your experience if you choose. Waiting causes your soul to be still. When you live life in fast forward, you never really allow yourself to sit back and rest on God’s promise. But waiting allows you to rest on God’s promises. (Matthew 11:29)
3) Waiting gives you peace – peace is similar to rest but yet different. Often times we look for our solution to bring us peace when God is saying the peace is in the waiting. We think that once the promise is fulfilled then all of a sudden our life will be at peace. But, God promised to give us peace that would pass our carnal understanding. I can guarantee you that peace is not something you have to wait for. (Philippians 4:7)
4) Waiting produces – a flower does not begin to produce when the petals bloom at the peak of spring. But in fact, the seed begins to take root and grow from the time it is planted. In the same vain waiting also produces long before the evidence is clear. Waiting produces many things but I will focus on two which include: spiritual muscle and fruit. First, waiting exercises your spiritual muscle called faith. Faith is strengthened as you believe God to fulfill His promises to you. (Hebrews 11:1) Second, waiting strengthens and produces many fruits. (Galatians 5:22) says “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, good, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
Don’t allow the world or the enemy to convince you that waiting is a negative thing. It will only be negative if you spend your time dwelling more on the wait and less on the lessons that the wait is trying to teach you. We are all going to be students of Waiting University whether we like it or not. But you do have a choice whether you will graduate with honors or barely pass.
1) Waiting teaches you who you are – it is said that the fabric of a person is not seen in the good times but in those times that are difficult. Waiting is a difficult time for many but it teaches you things about who you really are that you can’t discover at a speedy pace. For example, a car driving on the highway may appear void of denting and scratching because the fast pace doesn’t allow you to see its flaws. But, if you see that same car at a red light, the damage is more apparent. Waiting works the same way, it allows you to slow down so you stop covering up your dents but allow you to see yourself as you really are. And as you discover your flaws waiting is a good time to work on the healing process. (James 1:2-4)
2) Waiting gives you rest – waiting forces you to sit down and rest. When you realize that God really in fact is in control, true rest can be your experience if you choose. Waiting causes your soul to be still. When you live life in fast forward, you never really allow yourself to sit back and rest on God’s promise. But waiting allows you to rest on God’s promises. (Matthew 11:29)
3) Waiting gives you peace – peace is similar to rest but yet different. Often times we look for our solution to bring us peace when God is saying the peace is in the waiting. We think that once the promise is fulfilled then all of a sudden our life will be at peace. But, God promised to give us peace that would pass our carnal understanding. I can guarantee you that peace is not something you have to wait for. (Philippians 4:7)
4) Waiting produces – a flower does not begin to produce when the petals bloom at the peak of spring. But in fact, the seed begins to take root and grow from the time it is planted. In the same vain waiting also produces long before the evidence is clear. Waiting produces many things but I will focus on two which include: spiritual muscle and fruit. First, waiting exercises your spiritual muscle called faith. Faith is strengthened as you believe God to fulfill His promises to you. (Hebrews 11:1) Second, waiting strengthens and produces many fruits. (Galatians 5:22) says “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, good, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
Don’t allow the world or the enemy to convince you that waiting is a negative thing. It will only be negative if you spend your time dwelling more on the wait and less on the lessons that the wait is trying to teach you. We are all going to be students of Waiting University whether we like it or not. But you do have a choice whether you will graduate with honors or barely pass.