In the early 90’s, I was a guest to a Christians body at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Among other things, I reasoned with them on importance of waiting on God. My reasoning had been that between the sowing and reaping is a waiting time. During the interactive session, one of the students asked me why God has to put a waiting time between when we pray and receive the answer, and between when we give and get the harvest. My response was to ask him a question: “Why would the University authority put a gap between when students enroll in college and when they bag their degrees?” I can’t tell whether my answer was a perfect one; but at least the student did not ask me further question.

When we are made to wait for something, it is a way of God trying to wean us from babyhood to maturity, and from carnality to spirituality.

Waiting is an essential part of our walking with God. The Bible says that those who believe will not make haste. Saul’s loss of patience spelt doom for him and his kingdom. Waiting does a number of good things for us. One, it is God’s way of killing the flesh! The flesh hates waiting. It often behaves like spoilt child, wanting everything here and now. When we are made to wait for something, it is a way of God trying to wean us from babyhood to maturity, and from carnality to spirituality. On another note, waiting is God’s way of adjusting our own time-table and align it with His. God’s work always occurs at a particular time; and it is called the fullness of time. (Galatians 4:4). It is at such times that all things are made beautiful. Before this time everything may appear hard and difficult, perhaps they might even look impossible. But when the appointed time comes, God knocks everything in shape to bring His promise to manifestation.