Patience! Who needs it? I’ve had people tell me their greatest weakness is a lack of patience. It may be one of my own! It can certainly be difficult waiting for things to happen, wondering where God is as the whole world seems to be moving forward with their life! Patience, one of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22, is not just the ability to wait for something, it’s the ability to wait with a patient attitude, an attitude of trust!
Today I want to spend a moment considering the issue of patience as it relates to the promises of God. Habakuk 2:2-3 tells us “The LORD responded: “Write down this message! Record it legibly on tablets, so the one who announces it may read it easily. For the message is a witness to what is decreed; it gives reliable testimony about how matters will turn out. Even if the message is not fulfilled right away, wait patiently; for it will certainly come to pass–it will not arrive late.”
I love this passage. In todays world we can apply it to those moments when we receive a vision from God and then we begin to run with it. When I was young I learned about the benefits of having a dream and setting goals for my life. Many of my goals had to do with the pursuit of wealth and success, which in and of themselves are not bad things, it’s just that God had a dream for my life which was more Kingdom focussed.
When God speaks it’s from the perspective of eternity. He sees the future. Sometimes it seems like God speaks and it just happens in a Sovereign way. Other times He speaks and there are contingencies. If we do our part, God will do His part. The fulfillment of the vision is continent on us doing our part. One of the things that God requires of us as we wait for the fulfillment of a dream or vision is patience!
Patience needs to be mixed with faith and trust in God in order for it work! Habakkuk 2:3 says “Even if the message is not fulfilled right away, wait patiently; for it will certainly come to pass – it will not arrive late.” In order to be patient we need to know that God is His time will put everything right. He will move. Now I’m not for a moment going to say it’s easy being patient in the midnight hour, when you’re waiting for God to come through. But we need to build our patience with the knowledge that what God says, He will do.
Maybe today you’ve been waiting for a long time for God to move in your life. Maybe you feel like you’re almost out of patience with God and His timing! I want to encourage you, fix your eyes on the faithfulness of God. God’s delays are not God’s denials. I’m believing the Holy Spirit will flood your life today afresh and bring forth the fruit of patience in your life like never before. Be patient with God, He will come through for you!
