Have you ever been tired of waiting? If waiting some years have been difficult what about waiting for centuries? This is what happened with the birth of the Saviour. God spoke through his prophets about a day when a child would be born to save all and rule over mankind. But the fulfilment of the promise took centuries.
So also there is a waiting period in your life as well before you see God’s promises fulfilled. But then waiting is not easy. And God uses the waiting period for your benefit in several ways.
So what happens when you wait? God, first of all, is preparing the circumstances to be right which will bring you the best yield or result to your waiting. He is busy making the right people cross your path at the right time to accomplish what he has promised to give you. Therefore do not give up hope yet.
Secondly, your motives in prayer are purified. The truth is that most of us do not know what to pray for. By delaying answers to your prayers, God is testing whether you badly want what you are asking for. During the long delay, as you struggle with hope against hope, a miracle happens. Even before you see any answer to your prayers, your heart becomes bold. Your agitated mind becomes calm and peaceful. And there comes a quiet assurance that God will do what he has promised.
Finally, after the long wait, God often does what was thought impossible, “For nothing is impossible with God.” After all your pride has come to an end, after all that you thought you could accomplish in your own strength comes to nothing, God will do what he alone is capable of doing. Then not only you, but all who see what has happened in your life will praise God for what he has done.
Above all the most important lesson is that God waits to help us understand that mad rush is not the order of his kingdom. It is important to note that Jesus had to wait thirty years before he appeared publicly to do good. Why did not God start earlier? Were there not many needs to be met? Through this God was simply showing us that Jesus had to grow up just like any other man. That process cannot be short-circuited.
Growth is a process. Often we rush ahead of God’s plan for our lives and cause great ruin. The command is to wait. “Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10),” says he. This stillness is the message of Christmas. It is not passive inactivity but growth in its own time and way.