“Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me;”
Acts 1:4 NASB
I confess I am not a patient person. The older I get the more I am aware that rushing in to something too soon is unwise. It’s when I try to work out all the details myself, instead of waiting for the Lord that I can make a mess. Some messes have been big and others small but they cause pain for myself and others. I have watched the Lord clean up these messes in my life, while I am apologizing and telling the Lord “I won’t do that again Lord, next time I will wait!”
I would love to say that I am completely patient now. The truth is I am not where I was and I am making some progress in this area. What I have discovered is that the waiting is actually a very good place to be.
In the scripture I chose, Jesus commanded his disciples not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for that which was promised. He had just been with them for 40 days after his resurrection and had been telling them all about the Kingdom of God and the ministry they would be given. He gave them instructions before he ascended into heaven ““And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15 NASB. Jesus knew that they could not accomplish this great assignment on their own so he told them to wait until the Father sent the Holy Spirit to them.
Can you image what might have happened if they had started making plans on their own and had not waited for the Holy Spirit? This would be unthinkable! Even their best efforts would have had very little impact on the world around them. They needed the power, guidance and wisdom that Holy Spirit gives to be able to do all that Jesus had commanded that they do.
It is in the waiting for a promise from the Lord that we are prepared to do the stuff God has called us to do. If there is anything that needs to be changed in us to handle the assignment, it is in the waiting that the Lord makes changes in us. It’s in the waiting that we are tested to see if we can withstand the trials that will come with the promise, because these will come too.
King David was just a boy when he was anointed king over Israel, but he had to wait until he was 30 years old before he was actually crowned king and began to reign. The Israelites waited 40 years from the time they left Egypt until the day they entered the promised land. Sometimes the waiting takes a long time.
But the waiting is actually something to be embraced and even celebrated…hard to believe I am writing this, yes me, the impatient one, but bless my soul I am coming around to see it from God’s perspective. Honestly, I am tired of asking the Lord to clean up the mess from jumping into something too soon.
What are some of the promises from the Lord that you are waiting on? A ministry, a home of your own, a better job, a marriage, a baby, getting out of debt, the salvation of your loved ones? Or perhaps something else. How often have you tried to figure out a way to make these things happen on your own, hoping to help God out? Have you had trouble waiting for the promise to be fulfilled by God alone in His timing?
Thank God for His grace in cleaning up our attempts at helping Him out! He is rich in mercy toward us when we come to Him, confessing our weakness, our impatience in the waiting.
Blessings,
Linda
Trying to wait actively…so difficult for some areas.
Linda, great devotional and very timely for me. Thanks.
Excellent point as well as comical in last paragraph for us to “help Him out” – along with the waiting, for me it is also the laying things down and picking them back up.