Are you facing a Divine delay in your life? Read my latest blog post about how Rachel also faced a delay in her life.
Genesis 30:22, “And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.” For fourteen years Rachel had suffered through the trial of barrenness. This problem caused her to feel that her Heavenly Father had forgotten her and that her prayers were not being heard. This text tells us that God remembered her situation and answered her prayers. Are you facing a Divine delay in your life? God has not forgotten you and in His time he will answer.
Delay teaches the lesson of Dependence
God was teaching Rachel that whatever human means are used to gain our ends, all ultimate success depends upon the will of God. All gifts come from His hand. When we start trying to help God out, we usually mess everything up royally. When Sarah gave her servant girl to Abraham she was trying to help God accomplish by natural means what only a miracle could accomplish.
Delay teaches the lesson of Patience
Peter taught that patience is one of the virtues that should be added to our faith (2 Peter 1:5,6). Job is a good example of How patience is developed in the life of a believer (James 5:11).
Quotations about Patience
A pearl is a garment of patience, which enclosed an annoyance (Tim McLemore). Then there was the woman who prayed for patience and God sent her a poor cook (Henry Ward Beecher). If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow (Chinese Proverb). One cold February day a snail started climbing an apple tree. As he inched slowly upward, a worm stuck its head from a crevice in the tree to offer some advice. "You're wasting your energy. There isn't a single apple up there." The snail kept up his slow climb. "There will be when I get there," he said (George Sweeting). Hope is patience with the lamp lit (Tertullian). Second only to suffering, waiting may be the greatest teacher and trainer in godliness, maturity, and genuine spirituality most of us ever encounter (Richard Hendrix).
Delay teaches the lesson of Hope
According to an old legend, a man became lost in his travels and wandered into a bed of quicksand. Confucius saw the man's predicament and said, "It is evident that men should stay out of places such as this." Next, Buddha observed the situation and said, "Let that man's plight be a lesson to the rest of the world." Then Mohammed came by and said to the sinking man, "Alas, it is the will of God." Finally, Jesus appeared. "Take my hand, brother," he said, "and I will save you." (Sunday Sermons)