I hate to wait. I know others who hate it too. I’ve seen people waiting for: 

• a delayed flight,
• an injury to heal, 
• a traffic light to change,
• an appliance to be repaired,  
• the right person to fill a job, 
• acceptance to Bible College, 
• money to build a church building, 
• the right time to announce an engagement, 
• a child to become available for adoption, 
• a wayward family member to return, 
• a heart to soften.

It’s easy to think that life is on hold until what we’re waiting for happens. Time spent waiting feels wasted and less than God’s best.

From sighs to foot tapping to anger and panic, few people show patience while waiting. Impatience causes us to do and say things we later regret (i.e., Sarah offering Abraham Hagar, Genesis 16), or we focus so much on what hasn’t happened that we miss the good around us. We fail to see the waiting room as a deliberate part of God’s plan for us.

Being one who naturally falls on the impatient side of the scale, a story about King Saul’s impatience in I Samuel jarred me. 

Being one who naturally falls on the impatient side of the scale, a story about King Saul’s impatience in I Samuel jarred me. #patience, #RechargeWednesday
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Saul’s Heart Problem

A Philistine army with soldiers as numerous as the sand, gathered against Israel. Israel’s soldiers quaked in fear at the sight. Samuel the prophet had promised to come in seven days to make offerings to the Lord before the battle. Day seven dawns. Israel’s soldiers are scattering while the enemy is gathering. Where is Samuel? What would you do if you were in King Saul’s place?

Saul felt “compelled” to make the offerings himself. He needed to get this battle going before he lost his army. Samuel arrived as Saul finishes the sacrifices. Listen to Samuel’s rebuke.

“You acted foolishly, you have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, He would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him leader of His people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command” (I Samuel 13:13-14 NASB).

Whoa. You mean time-pressure was not Saul’s problem? 

No. Saul had a heart problem. 

Saul focused on his goal. His desire to win the battle wasn’t bad, but it eclipsed the higher goal of trusting God—both His will and His ways. It’s not enough to have good goals. We must seek to accomplish them God’s way and in His timing.

Isaiah 28:16 reminds us that those who trust in God won’t be in a hurry. 

Lord Jesus, help us trust You when obstacles slow us down. Grant us hearts that seek You more than our idea of when and how things should go.

LINKUP PARTY opens on January 25 at 6 am!

Christian Bloggers, come share your Blog with our audience below:

1. Add your Link.

2. Visit the blogger before or after and encourage them with a comment.

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LINKUP is open. Do you hate to wait? Join my friend @debbieWwilson as we look learn to trust God while we wait. Share your blog! #RechargeWednesday
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The post I Hate to Wait {Recharge Wednesday Linkup} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

For the past several weeks, I have been writing a blog series titled “Six Signs You Are Heading in the Wrong Direction.” This week, read Sign #5  – about the consequences of delayed obedience. If you need to catch up and read the first 4 signs, just follow the links at the end of this post.

Have a blessed week!

Patricia

“Why is this door closed, Lord?”

“What’s my next step?”

“Where are You, Lord? I can’t hear you!”

“My prayers seem to hit the ceiling, and bounce back down.”

If I were to take a survey, I believe we would find out that every Christian has asked these questions or made these statements at some point.

During this series, I have been sharing signs that indicate believers may be heading in the wrong direction, away from God’s best for our lives.

This week, read Sign #5 – Delaying Obedience.

“You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:14

Oh! Do I ever write this article with trembling hands! I too have reaped the consequences of not obeying God’s directives right away. Whether by procrastinating, or simply because I did not want to do it, I have certainly experienced the lack of peace, direction, and, worse of all – God’s silence – no doubt a consequence of delayed obedience.

‘Tomorrow’ is the excuse of the lazy and refuge of the incompetent.” Nolbert Quayle
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Quayle’s words may be harsh, but the principle behind them make me shudder. Truth be told, most of us often can be found guilty of waiting for tomorrow to do that which should be done today. And although procrastination on small tasks may seem inconsequential, the effect in an individual’s life can never be fully evaluated.

That truth receives an even deeper dimension when we procrastinate taking one small step toward obeying something we know God wants us to do.

I believe one of the reasons we fail to obey God promptly on small things is that we don’t usually realize that He has to lay small foundations before revealing to us the big picture of what He has in store for us.

He gives us a simple direction, and waits for our obedience before revealing the next step. In our pride or honest ignorance, we may think that small steps may not be important enough, and that waiting to take them should not affect the outcome of God’s plan for our lives. However, we must remember that God seeks a relationship of trust from us, and therefore the tiniest step of obedience can be used as a key element to unlock our future.

I think about my personal experience, and how I procrastinated to obey God on a seemingly small directive for my life. For years, I lived in a spiritual limbo, caught in the busyness of religion instead of in the fullness of a personal relationship with the Father. I tried to fill my spiritual life with religious routines and check boxes, altogether ignoring some quite simple directions I received from Him. Incapable of seeing the big picture, I deemed safe to procrastinate in taking small steps, often excusing my disobedience: “I will do this when I understand it better.” Or, “I’ll do it tomorrow.”

In the meantime, tomorrow turned into a week, a month, a couple of years.

As I look back and realize the wasted time, I can only conceptualize the difference that prompt obedience would have made. I will never know for sure. And although I am grateful for a God of grace and second chances, I really do not wish to gamble with my destiny anymore.

Life and death may not always be at stake when we delay obedience, but God’s best usually is.
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Today, when He shows me what I need to do, I try my best to take the smallest of steps right away, even though I oftentimes don’t understand it. Because I’ve lived long enough to know that a small step toward God may just be the difference between mediocrity or success, joy or defeat.

I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands. Psalm 119:60
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If you would like to read the other messages on this Blog Series, click below to visit each blog post:

Blog Series: Six Signs You Are Heading in the Wrong Direction

Sign # 1 – You have no peace about your decision

Sign # 2 – An Overwhelming Schedule

Sign # 3 – Your Decisions and Actions Contradict Scriptures

Sign # 4 – Dismissing Godly Counsel

The post Sign #5 – Delaying Obedience {Blog Series: Six Signs You Are Heading in the Wrong Direction} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.