Waiting Is Hard

God’s timing is not our timing. You know this if you’ve ever prayed for something and then waited…and waited…and waited…you get the idea. Sometimes, our incessant need for speed and answered prayers is the very thing that delays God’s response, because maybe He sees that we aren’t mature enough to handle His answer.

Take for example the story of the prodigal son. In every version that I read, it shows that the young son all but demanded his inheritance; The Living Bible even says it best, “I want my share of your estate now, instead of waiting until you die!” The father willingly complies and the younger son goes away and squanders it all. He eventually decides he has no choice but to return home and hope his father will have pity on him.

How many times have you prayed for something and without a clear answer you decided to just go ahead with your plan? Oh, sometimes our plans succeed because they lined up with His after all, but a lot of times, things don’t work out as we’d hoped. Entering ministry, a relationship, taking a job…these are all areas that could benefit from God’s clear direction. God knows the plans He has for you, but if you aren’t ready for them, He’s not going to open the door. This is where most people pry the door open with a crow bar, enter in, only to find out they’re in a carnival-like fun house where everything is distorted and they wander the maze looking for an exit sign. 

The parable of the prodigal son doesn’t end with the son coming home with his head hung low. It ends with the father taking him back, as if he’d never left and not only that, but throwing him a big celebration. When we’ve gone astray, we too can come back to our Father’s open arms, knowing He still loves us and is willing to give us another chance. His mercy and grace are gifts and we’d do Him a great honor if we’d first thank Him, ask for forgiveness and then learn from our mistakes.

Waiting is hard, but waiting is best.