ARE WE ABLE TO WAIT?

ARE WE ABLE TO WAIT?

 

We have a proverb saying that those waiting for something good, is not waiting in vain. The fact is that many cannot wait till they receive the good things. I know of people who were longing for a partner to marry. They prayed, but it took some time before the wanted partner was there. Those that I know of wanted a Christian partner, but since it took so long time, they desperately were seeking for a non-believer. Others wanted a Christian, but chose the wrong one since every Christian isn’t healthy nor sanctified. They were driven by desperation. This has led to tragedies and in some cases to a divorce. Why do I mention this? Because they could not wait for the right one chosen by God.

I know of people who have been prayed for because they had a problem or a sickness. If they weren’t healed immediately, they became disappointed, and some might seek an alternative solution and some of these alternative solutions have a root in the occult. I am not against doctors nor against medicines, but some alternative solutions is not good. Yoga is such an example. Some are calling it for gymnastics, but the truth is that yoga has its root in Hinduism and every position has a name of an idol. It is therefore not merely gymnastics. Others are talking themselves away from receiving answers for their prayers. They cannot feel better right away, and they start doubting God. Maybe it was a fake or maybe God doesn’t want to heal me? Maybe all this talk about healing is wrong? They come with doubt and disbelief and that might stop the wanted result because Hebrew 11:6 says that without faith we cannot please God.

We read in Isaiah 28:16 that whoever believes will not act hastily. In the letter to the Romans 9:33 and Peter 2:6 says that those who believe will not be put to shame. If we believe what God says in Jeremiah 33:3 that we should cry unto Him and He will answer us and show us great and mighty things, which we do not know, we will know that the answers to our prayers always will be on its way. Read Mark 11:24. It says: “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Do we believe that the Bible is true or not? I have been fighting with disbelief and have confessed it as sin many times. I do not believe that only I have been without faith.

When we become impatience, we sometimes think that we have to help God a little bit in finding a solution. I have already said that is not very smart. We can go to the Old Testament to the story about Abraham and Sarah. God had promised that they would get a son, but nothing happened. Sarah suggested that Abraham went to her servant Hagar and have sex with her. She gave birth to a son and called him Ishmael. Sarah wanted Abraham to drive Hagar and her son away from their house. This was not easy for Abraham. Ismael was also his son, but he did as Sarah begged him. Hagar thought that her son would die in the forest, but the Lord Had His hand on him and He said that Ishmael should become a nation. We are often calling Ishmael for a B-plan, the next-best. There are still wars going on between the descendants from Ishmael and Isaac.

We may also go to another man in the Bible, Noah. God has asked him to build an ark. It took a very long time to build the ark and while Noah was building, many people mocked and ridiculed him. Did that make him to stop building? No, he continued until everything was ready and he could take his family and a male and female from both clean and unclean animals. He took with him birds and everything that the Lord wanted to preserve. A very bad flood came and everything outside of the ark died, but everything inside of the ark was saved. Noah was 600 years when the flood came. They got much older at that time, but Noah could have given up much earlier. We have to admire his persistency.

The Bible is not saying that we will be without any difficulties or obstacles in life. No, the last sentence in Matthew 6 says that we should not worry for tomorrow, will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. We shouldn’t worry about tomorrow, but cast our worries upon the Lord because He can solve them. It is also said that when we are persecuted for our faith, we should rejoice.

Most os us think like children. They want their desires to be fulfilled right away. I am sure that you have heard crying children in shops. They point at something they want, and they want it now. We are sometimes like the children. If God is waiting, we can become impatient and angry. God will never come too late, but sometimes I think He comes in the last minute. I heard about a young woman going out to other countries as a missionary. She didn’t have the money she needed, but the day before she was supposed to leave, she received the exact sum of money. She hadn’t asked anybody for the money, but she had prayed, and God had a solution.

There are times when we should wait for God and rest in the fact that He is for us and He will answer us. Then there are other times when we should take a step in faith in order for a solution. When we live in an intimate relationship to God, we might be sensitive to Him and we will know when to be quiet and when to act. If you feel that it takes too long, ask the Lord if there is anything you should do.

We read in Romans 2:7 that God gives eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honour and immortality.

SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL OTHER THINGS SHALL BE ADDED TO YOU!

Mother Else