When God Makes You Wait

 April 15, 2024

Monday

I am certainly not the brightest star in the sky. I realized something today that I should have known for a long time. Are you ready for this?

The cross is not the only moment of God's love. Don't get me wrong. The cross is the greatest expression of God's love.  What I am trying to say is that God's love doesn't end at the cross. God's love begins at the cross. He loves us and shows that love even after we have come to know Him. He continues to show His love for us by inviting us to join Him every day. 

Think of it. I love my wife. Let's say that I bought her the most beautiful, most expensive wedding ring ever made.  After that, I never do another thing for her nor do I ever give her anything else. Would that show the deep love I have for her? Would I truly love her? I have heard of men who say that they told their wives that they loved them when they got married and will tell them if that love ever changes but will not tell them that they love them again. Those men have no idea how to love their wives. Can I say that God doesn't know how to love us? Absolutely not!

This means whatever I am going through, especially those things that require me to wait or endure, it is an expression of God's love. I was thinking of the eight years and three months that I waited to become a pastor. I prayed whether this was God's direction for me. He told me it was. Then, I began to pray to become a pastor. That lasted for eight years and three months.

During that time, I didn't know why God would make me wait. I had a seminary education. (I have even gotten a D.Min.) Yet, the opportunities to become a senior pastor eluded me. I assumed that I just wasn't ready. I thought God was preparing me and that I was really slow in learning. While that is true, that's not the main reason that God made me wait. He made me wait out of His love for me.

While I was waiting and praying, I got closer to God than ever before. I clung to Him. I grew in my relationship to Him. God let me go through this time of waiting so that my love would grow. I needed to love Him more than I needed education or experience. This time taught me to cling to Him in every trial I face because I know when I go to Him I am going to someone who loves me. I am going to someone who doesn't want me in anxiety, frustration or depression. It took over eight years but I learned always to go to the One who loves me.

Don't get me wrong! I don't love waiting or difficulties. I love the God of the waiting and difficulties. I never want to go through a time of waiting like that again but I wouldn't trade those years for anything either. They showed me God's love day-by-day. My love for the Lord is far greater than it was before I waited. And I know His love more too.

1 Peter 1:6–8 (NASB 2020) ⁶ In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, ⁷ so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; ⁸ and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,