Every few years the Lord reminds me of my need to be contentedly patient.
Therein lays the struggle. “Contentedly” patient. Patient in the moment of today while still waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promise. If we become so intent on the when of the promise, we lose sight of the now of our walk of faith.
We become impatient and impatience is a destroyer of faith.
When we become impatient, we begin to try to work things out on our own – we wonder if God is ever going to come through – what’s taking sooooooooooo long? Those kinds of thoughts come from doubt and doubt brings fear – fear that it is never going to work out right. Doubt and fear will choke out the promises of God’s word – they can outweigh faith, if we let them. We must stand with confidence in God’s word if we expect to see God’s promises fulfilled.
“But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. 7-8 If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all.” James 1:6-8 CEV
Abram followed God from his homeland out into the middle of nowhere because God made him a promise. A promise that he would possess great land and be the father of many nations. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham reiterating the promise that he would be a father of many descendants.
Abraham and his wife, Sarah, had to wait years to see that promise come to pass. They tried to rush the promise, using their own efforts, and it caused real issues of jealousy and bitterness. Their efforts didn’t stop God’s plan.
“God promised Abraham a lot of descendants. And when it all seemed hopeless, Abraham still had faith in God and became the ancestor of many nations. 19 Abraham’s faith never became weak, not even when he was nearly 100 years old. He knew he was almost dead and that his wife Sarah could not have children. 20 But Abraham never doubted or questioned God’s promise. His faith made him strong, and he gave all the credit to God. 21 Abraham was certain that God could do what he had promised.” Romans 4:18-21 CEV
What is it that God has promised you? Don’t give up – don’t fall back. Move forward – continue to follow in obedience what God has put in your heart.
“By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the One who had promised was faithful.” Hebrews 11:11
Keep going. Don’t become impatient. A friend of ours told us once “If God says go North He will provide, if you go South you’ll think you died”.
Follow God and He’ll bring His promises to pass.