Why God Makes You Wait

Have you ever heard it said that God shows you the journey or the mountain?

Like you either know what to do but not the end results or you know where you're supposed to be but God didn’t tell you how to get there?

In my case, God usually shows me my mountains and in the past when He does … I get mad. I would be very “my way or the highway” about it and question why God had the nerve to even tell me at all?!? 

“If I can’t do anything about it— You aren’t going to tell me where to start—I can’t have all the information upfront— God, I don’t want to know! Keep it to yourself!”

Being real, being transparent, I have said these exact words to God … several times. 

Recently, like He always does, God showed me the mountain with no journey but this time instead of my usual temper tantrum, I decided to switch my heart posture. Instead of getting mad, I embraced it and I genuinely asked God why. God’s word says if anyone lacks the wisdom to ask for it he shall provide (James 1:5) … 

“God, why are you showing me this AGAIN? You know me, I struggle with releasing control. I’m so used to being the one that has to make it happen for myself. I’m obviously not going to do anything- we saw how great that me moving without you worked last time… But why are you continuously putting me through these kinds of tests? I fail them! Is the lesson meant to torment me? — because not only is this hard but God it hurts! I truly would rather not know.” 

God’s answer? He’s trying to teach me to trust him. I’m in a trusting season, a submission season not just to God but to the people He has placed in my life. I always have the answers or the game plan but I don’t have it this time. He also made me keenly aware - in the most loving way- that I had His character all the way messed up. 

He wasn’t showing me to torture me or cause me pain. In fact, imagine it like this…

God is good, good father. Imagine you are six. Your loving father, who only wants the best for you, took the time and effort to research the best car to give you when you get your license at 16. This car is your dream car, it has everything you ever asked for, everything you want, and everything you could ever need. It’s going to keep you safe and serve you well. God wouldn’t be a good father if he gave the keys to this amazing car to a 6-year-old. They would wreck it. No, he has to wait until you're of age. Until you have studied and passed your driver's test. And why show you now? Well just like you imagine your earthly father, God is so in love with you and so excited to be able to give you this car. He’s a giddy kid that’s so happy that he just can’t keep the secret to himself. He wants to share in the excitement of what's to come with you. He wants you to know that once you’ve passed the test, He’s prepared for you the best car he could find. 

I don’t know how many of y’all are in a season similar to mine. Where God has shown you this shiny new car that you're going to acquire one day but isn’t yours yet. I’ve decided that I’m going to walk into this waiting season trusting what God said. I’m going to adhere to submission, enroll in driver’s ed, and let God teach me how to drive. So when the time comes for him to hand over the keys to the shiny new car, I won’t crash it.