The word we hate the most.
In todays society, we thrive off instant gratification and fast delivery. We want what we want when we want it. From this mentality, we have spoiled ourselves and made it difficult for us to understand why God would ever ask us be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10).
"But life hurts," we cry.
"God is taking too long."
"He must have forgotten me."
"I can't do this."
"Why wont God help me?"
"God wants me to be happy. Why am I going through this?"
Just a few questions that we often find ourselves asking while we struggle with God's request for us to wait. In all that searching we often overlook one quintessential piece- The strength we gain through waiting.
When you consider working out, cardio and other activities are great ways to loose weight. You may feel better and even drop a pant size or two. However, if you really want to see you body become more defined and tone, if you want to become stronger, some form of weight training is needed. This process can be tough. You may start off small and you may (will?) struggle. You may even become frustrated because the results take longer than you hope. Yet once you start this process you will see that day by day your body will become stronger. As you continue this process you will learn that with dedication, time and intense training, that old you will slowly fade away... and a new, healthier, and stronger you will emerge.
In the same way that weights can be used in the gym, God uses waiting for our hearts. Through waiting, our faith becomes stronger and our hearts become something new. Yes reading the Bible, going to church and spending time with Him makes us better. But the process of waiting allows us to develop a greater understanding of God and His purpose for us.
We complain about God asking us to wait. In reality, we should thank Him! God is our Father, our friend and the best personal trainer that we could never afford. He sees the best in us even when we think the wait is too much. He pushes us to see that our true strength lies in Him. He challenges us not to quit or give up when we feel we can't endure the wait.
God wants us to be more like Him. He wants to define us, to chisel us, to make us into something new. When we are required to wait on Him, God is inviting us to know Him better. He wants our faith to become unshakable. He wants us to trust that He is in control. He wants us to wait on Him.
The waiting wont last forever. It may hurt and it will probably be difficult. But God promises us that the results will be more than worth the pain if we persevere.
So if this is where God has you right now, welcome to wait training! You are on your way to becoming something amazing.
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A great parallel!
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