Obey fully. Work diligently. Trust God’s process.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT.
My thoughts and comments today explain that, “trust is a work in progress.”
Immediacy is prized above delay. Instant gratification is a common goal. Patience does not seem to be our natural virtue. Experience should teach us that life is better when you cultivate patience. Patience encourages appreciation for what you gain, while promoting wiser use and better care of what you have. Patience is beneficial, promoting the necessity of effort, the importance of time, the reality of cost, and the satisfaction of accomplishment. In contrast, impatience generates unbelief, and unbelief interrupts God’s procedure by causing costly delays. Have you noticed that quick and easy accomplishments seem to hold less intrinsic value?
At the moment, having what you want right now may seem more satisfying than waiting, but that satisfaction will be only temporary. The process of affordable sacrifice teaches anticipation. Anticipation fosters appreciation. Instead, we prefer immediate gratification. People readily defer cost and sacrifice till later, if they can acquire what they want now.
Most of us are not content with process. We want what we want when we want it. And we want too much now, regardless of the real cost known or unknown to us. Credit is deceitful. Debt stresses marriages, divides homes, weakens families, and destroys lives. Our nation’s debt is a reflection of our spending addictions, as much as our politicians’ misbehavior.
Process has beneficial elements. Paul echoed God’s principle of process this way, “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 NIV. God provides what He promises. He finishes what He begins. Trust God to provide what you need when you need it.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT. The final product is not seen until the full process is accomplished. You are wise to trust God. “As for God, His way is perfect.” Psalm 18:30 NKJV. His ways are righteous and just, yours and mine are not.
Trust is always a work in progress. Trust grows when exercised. Trust grows by practice. Using the example of nature’s process, Jesus described the perfect ways of the Kingdom of God. “A farmer planted seeds in a field . . as the days went by, the seeds sprouted and grew . . because the earth produces crops. First a leaf pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. When the grain is ready, the farmer harvests it.” Mark 4:26-29 NLT. Jesus was describing the processes by which the Kingdom of God progresses and prospers in your life.
Desire precedes effort. Effort creates anticipation. Anticipation encourages trust. Trust sees development. Development engenders growth. Growth produces a faithful harvest. Where do you see yourself in that process today? Harvest comes in God’s time through God’s process – after you Obey fully, Work diligently, and Trust God’s process.
Today I pray for you to learn to cooperate with God’s purposes and processes.
Christian Communications 2018
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