In this verse God is showing us what faith is. Today I hope and pray this message encourages you in your faith. Some of you are seeing this year pass by without those things, those promises which you have been given, that you have been hanging on to, not yet manifest. Many of you are shaking your heads in agreement while reading this. “When Lord, when?” are your cries that echo up into the Throne Room of the Most High. Again I pray this message encourages you that even though you may have to wait for awhile to see what God has in store for you. Yes, the wait maybe a long one but it will be worth it.
“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen. It gives us assurance about things we cannot see.”~ Hebrews 11:1
Faith is putting your trust in what God says when everything around you says otherwise. Of course, you may well find it difficult to do, because distracting influences are pulling your focus from what God’s Word says. But it is a decision you have to take; believe what God has placed in your heart through His Word, even though you may have to wait awhile for the promise.
Throughout my last 6 years in Christ, there were many times faith would become the thing I had to depend on. It was the hope that God would, in fact, do as He promised. You see, I believe God had some changes He needed to make in me, and He didn’t tell me how long I would have to wait. And so I waited because I knew in my heart of hearts that God spoke. When God speaks, it is done, and even though I haven’t received one of the promises He made that He would bring me my wife I know it’s already done and I just wait on His perfect timing and that makes me have the biggest smile on my face. 😉
I have learned that without waiting, the satisfaction is not the same. It seems as though I appreciate God’s gifts so much more when I’ve had to wait for them. It seems I am more relieved, more grateful and more willing to praise Him. I have also realized that during times of waiting, once I get over my feeling of rejection and frustration with God (as if He owes me anything) that my relationship with Him grows. I spend more time on my knees, not so much pleading, but seeking. I find that during my waiting, my desires change. I begin to want what God’s plan is instead of my own. During the wait, God changes me every time.
As I thought about this verse today, I realized that faith would not be necessary if I never had to wait. If God gave us everything we asked for, when we asked for it then we would not need faith. We would not have to believe. We would not have to hope. God would be at my disposal giving me whatever we wanted. We would still be as selfish as we ever were. We would not be any more like Christ than the first day I chose to follow Him. Waiting and having faith are the tools God has used to draw me closer to Him. I guess I should be thankful for waiting. After all, anything of importance that has come into my life I have had to wait for. And I have to admit, all of it was worth the wait!
Lord, help us to have faith in Your promises while we wait.
A Safe Harbor is Jesus 