Waiting is not my favorite thing.  I do not do it very well, however waiting does serve a vital purpose.  In the Old Testament God  says the word "wait" 75 times.  God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, but he had to wait 24 years before he obtained the promise.  God promised Israel that He would free them for Egyptian slavery, but it took 400 years plus the 40 in the desert before that came to pass.  Here are two things I noticed:

First, what waiting accomplishes.  Waiting isn't just  something you have to do to get what you want. No, waiting produces patience, understanding, maturity, and character.  What God accomplishes in you while you're waiting, is often more important  than the thing you are waiting for.  It also forces any potential weakness to the surface.  The truth is, time spent waiting is time spent, learning and growing.

Second, what waiting isn't.  Waiting is not an excuse for dodging reality, shirking responsibility, or not doing the right thing. For example, if you're in a financial mess because of your overspending, don't sit around waiting for pennies from heaven. They're not coming!  Instead discipline yourself and make it a priority to learn sound financial principles like budgeting, tithing, and not purchasing things until you can pay for them.

Above all else, waiting means making a daily decision to trust and obey God, even when things aren't going the way you planned.  It's saying, "Lord, I'm counting on You--and I don't have a back-up plan."

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