THE GREAT WAIT
If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a hundred times, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results”. I can’t begin to express to you how much this supposed leadership insight bugs the heck out of me! Why? Because whoever said it has no idea of the life and the way of faith!!
In truth, this is the very way of faith. This is the “Great Wait”. This is what it takes to walk with God. The devout Christian man or woman, waits and prays, waits and prays, and all the while walks in the wisdom of God. They may wait for years, doing the same wise, godly things over and over again, all the while, every single day, waiting and praying, seemingly with no results. Then one day, it might be years, and years of waiting and praying, asking for the same things over and over again, GOD COMES THROUGH AND ANSWERS YOUR EXACT PRAYER!
Why?? Because you did the “same” thing, the upright thing, the wise thing, the faith-filled thing repeatedly, you waited and prayed, waited and prayed, waited and prayed, over and over. This is the true, devout, Christian life.
I write to you as a 65-year-old man, who has walked with God for almost 50 years of my life. I know from these years of vast faith experience, exactly what I am talking about. This has been the great lesson of my life. Dwell in the land, be faithful in the same things over and over again, wait and pray, wait and pray, wait and fervently pray. The result!!?? GOD ALWAYS DOES HIS PART. GOD ALWAYS EVENTUALLY COMES THROUGH. God answers our prayers, rewards our wait and our faithfulness to Him!
Did you know the Bible says, “The Lord longs to be gracious to you. He waits on high to show compassion to you. How blessed are all those who wait for him!”
“So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help!” Is.30:18 NLT
“Therefore do not throw away your confidence. You have need of endurance so that after you have done the will of God you will receive the promised blessing.”
I am not exaggerating when I say there are things I’ve waited and prayed for, for years, in some cases 7 years, other cases 11 years, in another 20 years! Other things I am still waiting and praying for even now, still doing the same things over and over again, expecting divine results!
Christian, never give up on your waiting and praying. Never give up on the faith-filled way of life. Keep doing the same righteous things over and over again, even though you may see nothing for years! In time, God will come through and answer your prayers, and you will see the results!
Here’s what I have observed in people and among Christians. The most hated word in our language is “WAIT”! Oh, how we hate to wait. But the second most hated word is pray. Why do I say that? Because I have seen first-hand how Christians neglect it, how little time is spent in prayer. I have read the statistical analysis of Christian’s habits and behaviors. Prayer involves an action, an act of obedience, concentration, time alone, emotional energy spent, a genuine exercising of our faith, and Christians are lazy about prayer. They want results now. A prayer-answering God is not real to them. The mighty power of a righteous man’s fervent prayer is not even on their radar. They would rather have an app solve their problems. You know an instantaneous app swipe on their phone!
May God give you the determination to live the wisest life of all: The Great Wait! Keep doing the same good, right things over and over again, wait and pray, wait and pray, wait and pray, and God will come through for you! Never forget this: “So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for you will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time!”
Ps. 40:1-2,4 BERK
I waited and waited for the Lord; then He bent over to me and heard my cry. He brought me up from a destructive pit, from the miry clay, and set my feet on a rock, steadying my steps. Blessings the man enjoys who makes the Lord his trust and does not turn to those defiant lying apostates!
Helping you become a Strong Disciple,
Because of Jesus,
Pastor Mark Darling
