God Is In The Waiting

God is not in a hurry. When he gives a promise, it doesn’t mean it will be fulfilled quickly. God is more interested in the process and the character development that evolves in the waiting. The waiting creates growth so that we may carry or steward the fulfillment of the promise well.

The key for us is to stay surrendered in the waiting. Waiting is one of the hardest things to do. We like to see progress. We like to taste victory. We like advancement and success. We are encouraged to see things moving. But God says, “Be still. I will fight the battle for you. The victory is mine.”

Be still. Really? Really?

God replies, “Yes, be still. Trust me.”

“But God, I have done all the things to prepare. I have done all that you have asked me to do. I have followed hard after you. I am tired of waiting.”

This is part of the problem. Count all the "I's" in the last few sentences. If your succes is based on your efforts, you get all the glory and recognition. God says he will not share his glory. He wants us to be so surrendered that we quickly acknowledge that our success is ONLY BECAUSE OF GOD'S GOODNESS.

Tired of waiting was surely how Joseph felt while he sat week after week, year after year, in Potiphar’s prison. He interpreted the cupbearer and the baker’s dreams accurately. Surely this will get him promoted. Yet it was another 3 years before Potiphar had a disturbing dream that none of his advisors could interpret. At this point, Joseph was called up out of prison to interpret Potiphar's dream.  

All the while, Joseph was placed in charge of all that happened in the prison. He was learning how to deal with difficult people. He was learning how to lead, even in obscurity. He was faithful with what was given to him where he was. He didn’t get bitter. He didn’t get resentful. Those characteristics further hinder the fulfillment of the dream.

Where we get caught in the mix is when the dream doesn’t unfold as we expect. For Joseph, it was thirteen years between his teen dreams and when he was placed in charge of all of Egypt. In between this time, Joseph was sold by his brothers, falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, and was in prison for 10 to 11 years.

I believe that his dreams were not fulfilled like he imagined they would be. Many of us, including myself, have unfulfilled dreams. Unmet expectations of our dreams can paralyze us, causing disappointment and disillusionment. Disillusionment means we saw a situation one way, but now that we see the reality of it, we are dismayed. This puts us at a crossroad. Can we pivot and surrender fully to God’s plan without any strings, or do we emotionally hang on to our version of what should have been? The way we answer that question is crucial.

Joseph had to pivot emotionally. His unwavering trust in God, without resentment, allowed him to succeed at everything he put his hand to do. Possessing a spirit of serving well, even in prison, eventually was rewarded by God. You see, while Joseph was overlooked by man repeatedly, God was still watching his life.

God was fine tuning his leadership skills and ability to maintain a right attitude in the midst of disappointment. Joseph did not have a proud spirit of entitlement. After all, we must remember that he was THE favored son. His life should not have turned out this way. He could have had a huge pity party, which is an indicator of a proud spirit. Pity parties announce, “I don’t deserve this. I am better than this.”

Total and full surrender are the key for all of us; living in complete abandonment to the plan of God for our life realizing that we, like Paul, are bondservants of Jesus Christ. We are on this earth to serve and worship God, and God alone. All of our aspirations and dreams, and the timing of their fulfillment, should not be elevated above our surrender to the Lordship of Christ.

It is a juggling act. In whatever situation Joseph was placed in, he continued to work and to steward well the tasks at hand. He didn’t just sit around and wait for God to elevate him. We must do the same. We do all we can do, and trust God, with love and devotion, to do the rest in his perfect timing.

I have written a note in my Bible in Genesis 41 that says, “After years of waiting, Joesph’s life changed unexpectantly overnight.” Just as Joseph could have never imagined the way his life worked out, he also could never have imagined how quickly God could change everything. We must remember this, too.

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23