Are you in a hurry to launch out into your destiny? You may feel you are ready. But sometimes God says wait. While delays and setbacks can be frustrating, they can actually work to your advantage. They give us time to prepare, to get ready for the next step, the promotion to come. Learning to wait patiently with a good attitude is evidence of our perseverance and maturity. God is positioning you for success.

God’s timetable

Most of the time, God is not in a hurry.  He is more interested in shaping your character than your success. 

God’s timing is like a launch pad sequence.  There is a God-ordained series of events and character-shaping trials which must take place before He can launch us into our destinies.  We must pass every test and make every necessary connection before it is safe for God to launch us into power.  If we are promoted too soon, we may attribute our success to our own efforts.  Soon our own arrogance will cause us to trip and fall. The launch will fry and fizzle.

Sometimes failure is part of God’s plan.  To humble you and get you ready for promotion later.  To help you learn patience and forgiveness.

When you make mistakes or when you are going through an extended season of waiting, do not think God has rejected you.  God does not reject His children.  He LOVES His children as a tender LOVING Father embraces His little ones. He LOVES you just as much when you are successful as when you fail. He LOVES you just as much in the setbacks as in the exciting lift-offs.

You do not forfeit your future just because you made some mistakes.  Your future is not forfeited—it is fortified by the power and grace of God.

God is all about relationship, not religion.  He wants to be your Father, your best friend, your provider, your healer, your savior in every situation.  He wants to be your partner in success, the author of your success.  Lean on Him.  Rely on His wisdom and strength.  His timing.  Follow His lead.  Do it His way—not yours.  Take time to learn from Him. He is your perfect Father.  Study your Bible. Listen for His voice.  Wait for the go-ahead from Him.  He will supply all you need at just the right time. The Lord never fails. See your setback as a setup for a comeback.

Suddenly

History is full of divine “suddenly” promotions. Moments of divine intervention when God suddenly—after many years of preparation–launched the world’s so-called losers into positions of power and authority.  Remember the story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50), who was wrongfully enslaved and imprisoned for many years in Egypt–until God suddenly supernaturally lifted him out of the dungeon to become prime minister!  As pharaoh’s right hand man, Joseph became God’s instrument to save His people from starvation in time of famine.  What had looked like a lifetime sentence of hopeless imprisonment for Joseph was suddenly revealed as part of God’s divinely orchestrated master plan of salvation for His people!

Think of Moses, who as a young man ran ahead of God’s timing and took it upon himself to kill an abusive Egyptian soldier.  Realizing he had been seen, Prince Moses fled in fear to the desert.  He spent the next forty years hiding there, tending sheep, condemned to apparent obscurity forever. Until one day, at just the right time, the Lord showed up miraculously in a burning bush, calling Moses to lead His people to freedom. In spite of Moses’ objections trying to disqualify himself, the Lord quickly transformed this leader of sheep into a liberator, leading millions of people out of slavery into freedom.

Never give up

During World War I, a young and daring Winston Churchill suffered disgrace as First Lord of the Admiralty, famously leading the British Navy to disaster in the battle at Gallipoli. Receiving blame for this defeat, fairly or unfairly, Churchill resigned and was demoted to commanding a small army battalion in Scotland.  It appeared that Churchill’s government career was over.  Yet, in fact, it had barely begun.  God used that defeat to strengthen Churchill and teach him the value of perseverance.  It was part of his preparation to become Britain’s prime minister.  God was not punishing Churchill but setting him up for promotion at just the right time.  The disgraced and rejected Churchill overcame historic defeat to lead his people to historic triumph. By the grace of God, against overwhelming odds, Churchill rose up to lead Britain and the free world to victory over Hitler and Nazi Germany in World War II.  Rallying and inspiring his people with soaring rhetoric, Churchill became one of the great leaders in world history.

“Never give in.  Never give in.  Never never never never—in nothing great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense….

“Do not let us speak of darker days; let us speak rather of sterner days.  These are not dark days; these are great days—the greatest days our country has ever lived; and we must all thank God that we have been allowed, each of us according to our stations, to play a part in making these days memorable in the history of our race.”

                      Winston Churchill, October 29, 1941, at Harrow School

Joseph, Moses, Churchill–to the world these men looked for many years like losers, rejected by both God and man. Definitely not politically correct, not leadership material. Then suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, God launched these humbled men into positions of high authority and great success.  Of course, behind the scenes, God had been at work in their lives all the time—in good times and bad–secretly preparing His chosen ones, shaping their character, teaching them patience, perseverance and obedience.  So that when they were promoted, they would give glory to God, realizing their dependence on the Almighty One.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.      (Galatians 6:9)

Since God in His mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. (2 Corinthians 4:1)

Destiny awaits

God is an exceedingly generous and wise Father. He is, in fact, the perfect Father. He wants the best for us, His beloved children. But He recognizes when we are not yet mature enough to handle the extravagant goodness and promotion which He plans to provide. He knows that too much too soon could ruin us.

So be patient. God has a great destiny planned for you. Wait on the Lord’s timing. Agree with Churchill. Never never never never give up!

The countdown to launch you has begun. Take your position on the launch pad. Your destiny awaits. The best is yet to come! To God be the glory!