Trusting God's Timing and Deepening Your Faith
Are you waiting on a promise from God? Do you sometimes feel like giving up because it's taking too long? You're not alone. Even Abraham, the father of faith, had to wait 25 years for God's promise to be fulfilled. But what happens in that waiting period can be transformative if we approach it with the right perspective.
In a powerful sermon, Bishop Leonard Chatham explores what it means to be "Prepared for the Promise." Let's dive into some key insights that can help us navigate the sometimes challenging journey between receiving a promise from God and seeing its fulfillment.
God's Timing is Perfect
One of the most crucial lessons we can learn from Abraham's story is the importance of trusting God's timing. As Bishop Chatham points out:
"There are seasons, there are moments in time, there are seasons, there's times with God. The word that when God is ready to do a thing, it has to come to a fulfillment. That means that you can't take it out too soon. That means that you can't do it too quick."
We often want to rush God's process, but His timing is perfect. Sometimes, what looks like a delay to us is actually God preparing us for the promise He's about to fulfill. Remember, it took 25 years for God to shape Abraham and Sarah's faith before they were ready to receive their promised son, Isaac.
Learning God's Ways and Nature
During the waiting period, God isn't just preparing the promise – He's preparing us. Bishop Chatham emphasizes:
"Abraham had to learn the ways of God and the nature of God."
This learning process often involves challenges and tests of faith. But these experiences are designed to deepen our relationship with God and build our character. As we navigate these tests, we begin to understand God's nature more fully and trust His ways more completely.
From Servant to Friend
As we grow in our faith and understanding of God, the nature of our relationship with Him can change. Bishop Chatham references John 15:15, where Jesus says:
"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."
This shift from servant to friend represents a deeper level of intimacy with God. It's in this place of friendship that we can truly understand and appreciate the promises God has for us.
Maintaining Passion in the Process
One of the challenges of waiting is maintaining our passion and enthusiasm. Bishop Chatham warns:
"What do you do when you're thrilled? For what? You. Your passion for what you used to do for God is gone."
It's crucial to guard our passion and not let disappointment or delay dampen our enthusiasm for God's promises. Remember, the enemy often attacks hardest when we're on the verge of a breakthrough.
Life Application: Preparing for Your Promise
Trust God's Timing: Resist the urge to rush God's process. Instead, focus on growing in faith and character during the waiting period.
Learn God's Ways: Use this time to deepen your understanding of God's nature and ways. Study His Word and spend time in prayer.
Cultivate Friendship with God: Move beyond a transactional relationship with God. Seek to know Him more intimately as a friend.
Guard Your Passion: Don't let delays or disappointments rob you of your enthusiasm for God's promises. Keep your eyes fixed on Him, not on circumstances.
Stay Obedient: As Bishop Chatham warns, "If we fail to continue to obey God and we make demands on God, we cancel out the promises of God." Stay faithful in obedience, even when you don't see immediate results.
Remember, God is not just interested in giving you a promise – He's interested in preparing you for that promise. As you wait, trust that He is working in you and for you. Your promise may be just around the corner!
"Being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform" (Romans 4:21).
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