By Amy Carroll
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)
Those of us that have lived in rural areas know that tractors on the road are a fact of life. However, just because they are a fact of life doesn’t make them any less irritating if you’re in a hurry! I followed a tractor down one of our narrow two-lane roads recently. At one point I completely lost my patience for its pace and started yelling (unheard—thank goodness), “Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!” It didn’t speed up the tractor at all.
How many times have I approached God’s timing the same way? And it never hurries Him up either.
I admit God often does not operate at a pace that pleases me, and I want Him to hurry, hurry, hurry! I’m thinking Sarah, Abraham’s wife, felt the same way. After waiting 10 years for a baby that God had promised Abraham (read Genesis 12-21 for the complete story), Sarah decided to “help” God. Surely 10 years was too long for anybody to wait. So Sarah gave her maidservant Hagar to her husband, and the two of them had a child. Soon the two women were at odds. Talk about a soap-opera! Finally, fifteen years later, the child promised by God to Abraham and Sarah was born. God was not late. His timing was perfect. It was Sarah who was in a hurry and rushing things, but she found out that there was a price to pay for manipulating her circumstances.
I know Sarah and I are not alone in our desire for God to hurry up. I once heard it said that we are people with gods on our wrists.
In Isaiah 55:9, God says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (NIV) God’s timing is part of His ways. I may be tapping my watch, but He is never late. He may seem slow, but He is always right on time.
Has God made a promise to you that is slow in coming? Has He planted a dream in your heart that has yet to come to fruition? Don’t give up hope! God is faithful, and you can rely on His perfect timing. Fix your eyes on Him and enjoy the journey to your destination. There are things to be learned along the way that will enhance the joy of a promise fulfilled.
Dear Lord, sometimes I don’t understand your timing. It’s often very hard to wait, but I trust You. I want to rely on Your ways and Your timing. Help me to learn what I need to learn as I wait. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?
What Happens When Women Walk in Faith by Lysa TerKeurst
Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When God Speaks By Pricilla Shirer
Visit Amy Carroll’s Blog
Application Steps:
Write down some of the plans or dreams that you believe that God has placed in your heart.
Consider if have you manipulated circumstances to try to see those dreams come true, or if you’re focused on God’s timing?
Reflections:
Am I truly committed to waiting for God’s timing?
What does God want me to learn in times of waiting?
Power Verses:
Psalm 130:5, “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.” (NIV)
2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (NIV)
© 2008 by Amy Carroll. All rights reserved.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)
Those of us that have lived in rural areas know that tractors on the road are a fact of life. However, just because they are a fact of life doesn’t make them any less irritating if you’re in a hurry! I followed a tractor down one of our narrow two-lane roads recently. At one point I completely lost my patience for its pace and started yelling (unheard—thank goodness), “Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!” It didn’t speed up the tractor at all.
How many times have I approached God’s timing the same way? And it never hurries Him up either.
I admit God often does not operate at a pace that pleases me, and I want Him to hurry, hurry, hurry! I’m thinking Sarah, Abraham’s wife, felt the same way. After waiting 10 years for a baby that God had promised Abraham (read Genesis 12-21 for the complete story), Sarah decided to “help” God. Surely 10 years was too long for anybody to wait. So Sarah gave her maidservant Hagar to her husband, and the two of them had a child. Soon the two women were at odds. Talk about a soap-opera! Finally, fifteen years later, the child promised by God to Abraham and Sarah was born. God was not late. His timing was perfect. It was Sarah who was in a hurry and rushing things, but she found out that there was a price to pay for manipulating her circumstances.
I know Sarah and I are not alone in our desire for God to hurry up. I once heard it said that we are people with gods on our wrists.
In Isaiah 55:9, God says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (NIV) God’s timing is part of His ways. I may be tapping my watch, but He is never late. He may seem slow, but He is always right on time.
Has God made a promise to you that is slow in coming? Has He planted a dream in your heart that has yet to come to fruition? Don’t give up hope! God is faithful, and you can rely on His perfect timing. Fix your eyes on Him and enjoy the journey to your destination. There are things to be learned along the way that will enhance the joy of a promise fulfilled.
Dear Lord, sometimes I don’t understand your timing. It’s often very hard to wait, but I trust You. I want to rely on Your ways and Your timing. Help me to learn what I need to learn as I wait. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?
What Happens When Women Walk in Faith by Lysa TerKeurst
Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When God Speaks By Pricilla Shirer
Visit Amy Carroll’s Blog
Application Steps:
Write down some of the plans or dreams that you believe that God has placed in your heart.
Consider if have you manipulated circumstances to try to see those dreams come true, or if you’re focused on God’s timing?
Reflections:
Am I truly committed to waiting for God’s timing?
What does God want me to learn in times of waiting?
Power Verses:
Psalm 130:5, “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.” (NIV)
2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (NIV)
© 2008 by Amy Carroll. All rights reserved.
12 Comments:
I cannot tell you how much I have been enjoying and needing these reminders on Waiting for the Lord. I have been asking the Lord somethings and He has been showing me through my quiet time and these past couple of days' devotions to "wait patiently and quietly". Thank you very much for these devotions. They have been a huge source of encouragement as I find myself struggling with waiting patiently and quietly.
"God, Could You Please Hurry?"
The exact words i told God when i saw pictures of people in pain on the news.
i just want this evil to end right now. but i may not be ready to see Him yet or others may not be ready as i am.
Thank you so much -- I have peace and comfort to focus on this season of my life today thanks to you ~Flo
thank you! in my life i feel God has made a promise to me. i have not seen the fullness of it in my life the way i see it in my spirit. i am having to learn through a process to get to that promised place God has told me about for my life.. this devotion has encouraged me to keep trusting in God's timing and to enjoy the journey as i make my way into that promised place. his timing is perfect.
THANKS~ This one sooo spoke to my heart
WOW~My husband and I have been trying to have kids now for six years and we have turned to foster-adoption. We got a set of boys last year and lost them back in November. We decided to try again and we got three babies in January of this year. It is looking really good that we will be able to adopt them but I have become so impatient that I want this over NOW. How I needed to be reminded to wait patiently on God. How He knows so much better than I do! I have lost so much of the joy because of how stressed out I have been and mainly because this is completely out of my control. I need to sit back and enjoy the journey as it was said in this devotional because what a journey this is and what a testimony it will be when it is all said and done. Thank you~
I truly needed this reminder...again. :) How can I contact you to ask permission to share this article with my clients? I enjoy the wisdom and relevant insight P31 offers and would love to share this with others, if possible.
wow, this hit home all i could do was laugh when i read the header "God, Could You Please Hurry?" i am not at all patient thanks so much for the uplift.
Hi Amy: I LOVED the part about enjoying the journey until God brings about what He has promised...that has been the hardest part for me!! I realize I miss SO MUCH along the way, waiting for _________. I'm learning to enjoy each day and let God unfold it, and then simply embrace the day & HIM.
Thanks for the encouragement.
Elizabeth,
You are welcome to reprint this devotion. Please include "Reprinted with permission of Amy Carroll and Proverbs 31 Ministries" at the bottom of your reprint. I'm just so honored that you'll be able to use it!
Amy
Thank you, Amy! I look forward to sharing your words of encouragement and hope. God bless you and your team at P31!
Thanks Amy
This has just answered my cry to the Lord this morning.
Sharun(India)
P.S: I have been a silent readers for over 2 years . NOw I take time off to read the blogs of each writer and I love the way Jesus works in your life. Makes me aware of everything He does for me that I take for granted.
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