Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

I know you've heard that adage a million times. The problem with repeated cliches is that they lose their effectiveness. Even though they hold great insights of incalculable value. This one is no different.

Good things really do come to those wait.

Now, that doesn't mean if you sit around doing nothing just "waiting for something to happen" good things will come. No. It means your success will take time.

I'm acutely aware that this isn't very popular advice right now. From both a theological standpoint and a cultural one.

Culturally speaking; in a world of instant gratification and overused stories of overnight successes, patience is not something we're good at. We want something, and we want it now.

Theologically speaking; most of you readers of this Blog would, like me, believe Jesus accomplished everything we already need for our success and prosperity. (Prosperity meaning a number of aspects of life). Which can sometimes inaccurately translate into "I should be seeing my prosperity manifest now".

The impatient culture within which we live doesn't help our theology either. It serves only to emphasise our sorely lacking ability to wait with a smile.

But wait for what? Or more importantly, wait after what?

Wait for your success. And wait for it after you've received the promise of it.

Whatever it may be, whether it be the promise of a miracle, the promise that you believe you are blessed to be successful in business, you will be a great leader, the fact is... the promise is only the beginning.

The fruit proving you actually believe the promise is most commonly revealed in your actions after you've received that promise.

Abraham received a promise that he would be the father of many nations through Sarah. If he didn't believe it, he would've been like most other 90 year old man. Not exactly sexually active with his 90 year old wife. But the fact that he tried to "make things happen" with Sarah (regularly for 7 years!) goes to show that he believed God at His Word. Did Abraham believe 100%? No. After a few years he tried with Hagar. You know the story. But he still believed something was going to happen. And he kept trying.

That's what we need to remember in our society crazed with instant results. Hey, I love instant results as much as the next guy! I'm a classic 1985 baby, part of the MTV "want it now" generation! But the more I have wrestled with God over His promises, the more I have realised the harvest germinating under the soil is far greater than I even imagined. I just didn't give up tending to the garden.

The garden of your life requires you to take care of it. From educating yourself, to equipping yourself, to make the right decisions, to actioning ideas, you need to do something to get the ball rolling. But don't mistakenly believe that just because you did something means you will see something tomorrow. It might take next week, it might take next year, it may even take next decade! (Depending on what you're building).

The question is... have you started building? Have you started planting?

If so, keep at it. Don't stop. Don't give up. Ever. And one day you'll look back and see just how much fruit that "garden" has produced.

Because good things come to those who wait.