If one thing is made evident in kingdom work, it’s that God’s timing is not our timing. We often find ourselves lagging behind the Spirit of God, because we doubt or are afraid – Moses arguing about going back to Egypt is a good example. Other times, we try to jump ahead, anxious to get to what God has laid out for us. A biblical example here is the apostle Paul wanting so badly to go to Asia Minor on his first missionary journey, but the Holy Spirit stopped him for some reason (Act 16). We do know that Paul gets there later, though, in both his second and third journeys (Act 18).

We are also often out of sync with God in the timing of results. In an instant gratification society, having to wait for anything feels frustrating at best. If we are doing the work, we think that God should be providing the results in a reasonable timeframe. We made the sacrifices, we paid our dues. God must come through on his end. Sometimes we can be just that presumptuous, God forgive us!

It seems God anticipated this issue in our generation, because he gave us Galatians 6:9:

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Press on into what God has called you to. Trust him that fruit will come in its proper time.

Consider Abraham and Sarah. It was 25 years from God’s initial promise to Abraham of a son ’til the coming of Isaac. He was 100 and Sarah was 90 – no wonder Sarah laughed when the angel of God set the date just a year before the birth. They had given up. We all would’ve given up, but God didn’t. The perfect time had just not yet arrived for him to be glorified.

We see this repeatedly in Jesus’ life and ministry as well. It seems arriving to Mary and Martha’s house before Lazarus died would’ve been better timing; he could have, no doubt, healed Lazarus with a touch or a word, but he was not there. He allowed himself to be delayed, and by the time he got there Lazarus had been dead three days. The unknown plan was not to heal Lazarus, but to raise him from the dead!

Is there some area of obedience you are becoming weary in? Press on. Don’t lose heart. God will be right on time with the answer. He is faithful.