Photo by Krzysztof Hepner
I cannot imagine how David must have felt in Psalm 70, when he found himself pursued by enemies bent on ending his life. In desperation, he implored God to intervene swiftly on his behalf, crying out "hasten/come quickly/do not delay" four times.
Like David, there are moments when we urge God to hurry up. In today’s world where we are accustomed to immediate answers to almost everything, waiting is probably even more challenging for us. Our fast-paced lives, driven by technology and Google searches, have diminished our capacity for patience. So, whether it is waiting for an answer to our prayer or pleading for God’s intervention in a difficult situation, God's apparent silence or delay can heighten our frustration and confusion. Like David, we may be in a hurry, but God is not. He knows and He is at work even though we may not see or feel it.
God operates on His own timetable, which is often quite different from ours. His delays are not refusals or defeats; rather, they serve His greater purpose. He hears the cries of our hearts and understands the depths of our desperation. Consider the story of Mary and Martha, who waited for Jesus to arrive in Bethany as their brother Lazarus lay dying (John 11). Although Jesus delayed His visit, His timing was perfect, leading to the manifestation of God's glory and the strengthening of faith in those who witnessed Lazarus' resurrection.
While we may not always understand why God does not respond immediately, we can trust in His sovereignty because “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, NIV).
Even during periods of waiting and quiet desperation, God continues His refining work in us, shaping our character and deepening our faith. He redirects our focus to Him as we learn to rejoice and be glad in Him, love him and exalt Him (Psalm 70:4) in our waiting.
Instead of allowing impatience to drive us to take matters into our own hands, we must learn to trust God's timing and yield to His perfect plan. Waiting is part of His curriculum for our spiritual growth, as He teaches us to find strength in quietness and trust (Isaiah 30:15). We can be confident that He knows what is best for us and what will best glorify Him.
God is never in a hurry. Even in our waiting, “the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18, NIV)!
Some of our blessings come with patience!
Peace and Grace,
Lam Kok Hiang
Leadership Mentor
我无法想象诗篇70篇里大卫被仇敌追讨性命时的感受。他在急难中不住地呼求 神, “求祢快来/快快到我这里来/不要耽延”, 盼望 神介入并搭救他。
如同大卫，我们也在好些境况下呼求 神速速帮助。曾几何时，我们习惯了事事即刻有答案，等待似乎愈发困难。我们那急促的步伐藉着科技及搜索引擎一再加速，人的耐性反而一再压缩。当患难临到，我们求告 神指引或等候祂帮助时， 神似乎沉默或迟延，我们可能变得焦躁又无所适从。我们虽着急如大卫， 神却不然。祂知晓并仍在工作，只是我们一时看不见也察觉不着。
神独立而行，且不按人的常理。祂若迟延，即非拒绝、也不代表败退，诸事都要成全祂的旨意。神听见人心的恳求，知道我们陷入多么糟糕的处境。看哪，马大和马利亚不曾为患病的兄弟(约翰福音11章)托人请求耶稣到伯大尼救拉撒路一命吗？耶稣闻讯仍延后探访，时候到了就吩咐拉撒路从死里复活，叫 神的荣耀彰显于群众；并且许多犹太人亲见此事，就信了。
我们并非在在都能明白 神为何不及时回答，但是我们可以相信 神的大能，圣经说：“我们知道，为了爱 神的人，就是按祂旨意蒙召的人的益处，万事都一同效力”(罗马书8:28,新译本)。
即使是在漫漫等候和无声煎熬的时期，神还在工作，陶冶我们的性情，稳固等候者的信念。神叫专心等候祂的人学会因祂欢喜快乐，爱祂，尊祂为大(诗篇70:4)。
与其不耐烦而事事亲揽，我们必须学会信靠 神的时机和美意。等候 神是我们属灵的必修课，祂要教导我们归回平静、单单信靠而得力(以赛亚书30:15)。我们可以相信 神为自己的荣耀把最好的留给属祂的人。
神从容不迫。等候祂的人要记得圣经里的应许：“耶和华必等候要恩待你们；祂必兴起来怜悯你们，因为耶和华是公义的 神。等候祂的，都是有福的”(以赛亚书30:18，新译本)。
等候 神的人有福了！
愿您经历 神的平安和恩典，
蓝国贤
会务导师
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