Don't Make Your Move Too Soon

PATIENCE and PRIDE, too little of one and too much of the other can cause you to move too soon, to loose your place, and get out of position. Getting out of position can cause you to miss out on your blessing.

How many of you have stood in a long line at the grocery/department store? Stood and waited and waited only to let impatience overrule your better judgement and provoke you to angrily step out of line a mere second before a new cashier comes on the scene and shouts "I can take the next customer over here!" The NEXT customer would have been YOU had you not stepped out of line; out of position. Now you have to wrestle with that other demon PRIDE. You're holding your purchases in your hand, you've already invested a good amount of time waiting...do you storm out of the store leaving your purchases? Or, do you suck it up and get back in line? My gut is telling me that more times than we would like to admit we have stormed out of that store leaving behind the very thing we came for.

The word of God says that we should count it all joy for our various trials, knowing that they are a test of our faith, and that testing produces patience. It goes on to say that we should let patience have its perfect work, so that we might be made perfect and complete, and lack nothing. (James 1:2-4) (Proverbs 16:18) says that Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.

What have you been waiting in line for? Maybe you need a financial blessing, maybe you've been praying and asking God to fix your marriage or straighten out that wayward child you don't recognize anymore. Maybe you need a new home, a new job or you're waiting for that perfect mate. God doesn't wear a Rolex and he doesn't use our calendar. He knows what you need and He will provide it when He knows you're ready to receive it. He wants you to be complete and lack for nothing. During your time of trial there are some things he wants to reveal to you about yourself and more importantly about him, but you're so busy complaining about having to "wait" you can't see or hear his message. You get tired of waiting and decide you can fix it yourself, and guess what? As soon as you make that decision...as soon as you let impatience distract you, and pride overtakes you...you get out of position. God was just getting ready to bless you, but you moved too soon! God was just about to open a door, and YOU... stepped out of line!

We must learn to trust God and believe the promises of God. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:6-7) Be careful, when you get in line you must have the patience to wait on the Lord. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Phil. 4:12) Don't let your pride convince you that you can do anything without the Lord. God sends people in our lives to assist us, to help us along our journey but if you allow your pride to reject their help you will find yourself out of position and miss out on your blessing!

Have you not Known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 41:28-31) Pray and ask the Lord to perfect your patience and give you wisdom and the strength to stand and wait no matter how long it takes. Listen to the voice of God and do what he instructs you to do. Take your burdens to the Lord, AND LEAVE THEM THERE! Don't look back, don't pick them back up, don't try and fix it yourself...trust God! Please don't let a lack of patience and an over abundance of pride cause you to move too soon. When the Lord says "Next", don't be out of position and miss your blessing!