Reading about the apostles of the New Testament, our views can be skewed somewhat by knowing the entire timeline of their ministry. We read highlights and letters, dramatic bits and pieces of lives that proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus along with the power of the Gospel. The days, months, and years they spent waiting for God to do the impossible in a post-resurrection world seem mere pauses in a flurry of God-orchestrated activity.
Regardless of the vision we may have for our lives or the direction in which we have been led by the Holy Spirit, we cannot expect to get ahead of God's timeline. After Jesus left the earth, the disciples spent a substantial amount of time waiting for prayers to be answered as well as wondering when God was going to rescue them from dire situations. We, too, must be willing disciples, waiting patiently for God to work in our midst.
In the midst of our waiting, God is working in the lives of others, too.
God's plan often includes curves in the road we never expected. Ten years passed from the time Paul encountered the risen Christ to the time God commissioned him to ministry. Ten years! During that time, the Lord was preparing him—softening his heart and positioning him so that he could be used to impact the church in the first century and for generations to come.
Waiting on God can be difficult. In our eagerness to see Him move, we have a tendency to try to prod God along. We want to see His glory here and now. Yet, God does not let us venture into new territory alone. He prepares the hearts and minds of those we are to encounter on our journey so that the fullness of His plan becomes apparent in the aftermath. In the midst of our waiting, God is working in the lives of others, too—preparing their hearts and minds for maximum impact when our journeys intersect in His timing. In these moments of intersection, we are reminded of the lovingkindness of God exercised toward us when He calls us to wait. May the Truth of God's love and sovereignty give you confidence and joy even in your waiting.
Prayer: Lord, quiet my heart and help me to remain patient as I wait upon Your plan to unfold in my life. I trust in Your faithfulness and Your power. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" (Psalm 27:14).
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