Waiting Is Essential to Your Faith
By Rick Warren
“After waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised” (Hebrews 6:15 NIV).
When you’re waiting on God, remember that you’re in good company.
Billions of saints before you have sat in God’s waiting room. You’re not alone. In fact, if you’re in the waiting room right now — maybe you’re waiting on a job, on an answer, or on a prayer — there are a lot of other people around you who are in that same situation.
Hebrews 11:2 says, “People who lived in the past became famous because of faith” (ICB) — and every one of those people had to wait.
Think about Hannah, who had to wait years to have the baby that she was praying God would give her.
Think about Joseph, who had a God-given vision of being a ruler from a very young age but spent years in a prison for a crime he did not commit.
Think of Moses, who wandered in the wilderness for 40 years while he waited to receive his next assignment and to know his purpose in life.
Think about Noah, who waited 120 years before it rained.
God waited thousands of years before sending the Messiah. We get in a hurry. But God is not in a hurry. Waiting is essential to your faith.
Hebrews 6:15 says, “After waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised” (NIV).
Reflections:
How does being in community with other people help you persevere through the waiting periods of life?
What are some of God’s promises that you can claim while you are waiting?
Why is waiting essential to your faith?
Yes, indeed, waiting is not comfortable and other times it is very inconvenient, humanly speaking. Most of us get impatient with God, we want Him to answer our prayers right away. We want Him to give us what we're asking. One of my good friends once told me that God has 3 answers to our prayers. The "Yes", "No" and "Wait".
In our present situation, no matter what God's answers to our prayers, be it a yes, a no, or a wait, may we have always the desire to wait patiently for His answer. May we always have that faith that in due time, yes, in His time, He makes all things beautiful. Let us always have that faith that God is a good God and all good things come from Him. He does not withhold it from us.
I praise and thank God for my friend's devotion and this reminds me to wait patiently upon God. Yes, I have prayers which are still unanswered up to this writing. I have asked Him a lot of "whys" already. But I still keep that faith and expectant heart, that He will surely answer my prayers, in His perfect time. We need to check our hearts, our motives too when we are praying or asking something from our Heavenly Father. And let us worship Him while we are waiting. :-)
Good morning everyone. Let us all be patient in waiting upon the Lord. :-)
God bless each and everyone. :-)
I am 
Have a blessed L❤️ve Month 2018 everyone :-)❤️
I am forever grateful to God every day of my life for giving me everything that I need and praise Him all the more for not giving me everything I want. To God be all the honor, praise and glory ❤️ :-)
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(Source: from my friend's devotional materials authored by Rick Warren)