In a world where we want everything instantly, it is important to understand the value of patience and the lessons it teaches us. When we are patient, we allow things to unfold naturally and in their own time. This allows us to grow and develop into mature individuals without lacking in any way.
Patience teaches us to respect God’s timetable and be content with divine timing. It reminds us that there is always a journey between each promise and its manifestation. While we may not always know how long the journey will be, our attitude during the waiting time determines how long we will stay in the wilderness. We must discipline ourselves to focus on the promise and trust in God’s ability to make things happen. When we believe, we can wait with hope.
Sometimes, things may seem hopeless and go against our expectations. However, like Abraham, we must keep hoping against hope and bring hope out of hopeless situations. We must be determined to hope despite hopelessness, because this activates the power of heaven on our behalf. God lengthens our journey when He senses impatience and haste in us (Isaiah 28:16). These stretches (delays) aim to strengthen us, impart patience, and build our character.
Our greatest blessings are not just the gifts we receive from God, but the lessons we learn and the better people we become while waiting for the promise.
Patience builds up righteousness. While we wait for the promise, people may judge and insult us because they can’t see what we see. However, we must remember that God does things according to His divine purpose, and what prevails is what serves that purpose. We should not compromise our vision or the promise of God in our lives. Though it may take time, we should wait, as it will surely come to pass.
We can learn from Joseph’s story, who went through a lot of hard times, including being wrongfully jailed and sold into slavery by his brothers. Joseph stayed true to himself and was patient through all of these difficult times. He eventually became the second-most important person in Egypt. Because of this, he was able to save his family during a famine, just as God had promised.
David, too, underwent three anointings prior to taking the throne. He had to wait nearly 15 years to wear the first crown and another 7 years to wear the second (1 Samuel 16:13, 2 Samuel 2:4, 2 Samuel 5:3). The first was the appointment anointing, and the other two were the acceptance anointings. One happens in secret, but the other is in the open.
The period between the appointment and acceptance was a time of testing and drilling that built the necessary character for the position.
If we desire something, we must have the faith and patience to inherit it. We must prepare ourselves and not compromise our vision.
Beloved, let us wait with hope and trust in God’s ability to fulfill His promises in our lives. It may take time, but wait for it; the promise will surely come to pass (Habakkuk 2:3).
Remain Blessed
Pastor Jerry Orhue
Senior Pastor, Gracevine Chapel
www.gracevinechapel.org
