"The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord." Lamentations 3:25-26
Waiting is a skill that many of us struggle with, we have become accustomed to instant gratification when we see something we want. Fast food, overnight delivery, and instant communication technology make it hard to practice the skill of waiting for something. This instant gratification mentality has become so prevalent in our world that it even spills over into our prayers and requests to God. In the face of hardship, uncertainty, or any level of adversity, we want to come to God and pray for an instant answer. Where we have become programmed to expect instant responses to our request, it is humanly reasonable that we would expect God to respond to our prayers instantly. But that isn't how God works. As the scripture above explains, "it is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait" (Lament. 3:26). With so many instant solutions available in life, is it possible to develop the skill of waiting? The fruit tree farmer is a prime example of someone who has polished the skill of waiting, active waiting that is.
Think about it. A fruit tree farmer plants a seed and then at best has to wait 6 to 8 years before fruit is produced. That requires a tremendous amount of patience and trust that the time invested will eventually pay off. This is where the skill of waiting becomes active. If planting the seed was all that a tree farmer had to do that would make it a pretty easy task. He would plant the seeds and then come back six or seven years later and start harvesting the tree's fruit. That isn't how waiting works in farming and it isn't how it works in our prayer requests. True, after the seed is planted the waiting period begins, but not a passive, sitting back and waiting for the outcome to happen. Active waiting requires us to take all actionable steps to move forward as we wait on God's plans to be fulfilled. This methodology applies well to how prayer works as well. Planting seeds, and saying a prayer is just the beginning of the process.
After the seed is planted the farmer commits to nurturing the seed throughout its seedling stage, then to a sapling, and onward to the time that it becomes a mature fruit bearing tree. Adding nutrients to the soil, providing adequate amounts of water, and weeding the area around the tender plant ensure that the tree has the opportunity to grow and mature properly. The Apostle Paul compared nurturing God's plans and purpose to the same duties our tree farmer must adhere to in this scripture from I Corinthians 3:6-8 "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their labor." The farmer plants and provides the labor, but at the end of the day, it is God who causes the tree to bear fruit. In the same way, we make our prayer requests known to God, but after that we are called to action. We just don't rub the magic God lamp and instantly receive the answer to our prayers. After we pray, we begin the process of actively waiting on God to answer our prayers.
Actively waiting on God means that we go about the business of seeking His will, following His commands, and nurturing the seeds that God has planted in our hearts, minds, and body. We are called to action in our waiting, prayer is not a passive activity, and it is not a guarantee that the outcome will be exactly what we have prayed. With prayer there exists three responses, yes, no, or not right now. Having a personal relationship with our Maker is critical in understanding and accepting this truth. Through prayer and meditation we learn to discern our desires from God's plans, and we gain wisdom to understand that God's plans are bigger than we may ever see. Submitting to God's will is an action step in the waiting process while God works in us and through us. So just as the tree farmer must nurture the tree as it grows, we too must nurture our relationship with God in preparation for His will to come to "fruition" in us.
Waiting, actively waiting is an ongoing process that doesn't stop when our prayers are answered. Just as the fruit tree farmer has to continue to prune and inspect the trees for any kind of infestation, we too must continue to increase and grow our relationship with God. "... The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16. The verse doesn't say that the fervent prayer of a righteous person availeth much as soon as he prays, the promise isn't in the timing of God's action, but more about His promise to hear our prayers and then we submit those prayers to actively wait on God to fulfill His purpose and plans in us and through us.
Two calls to action today. First, there is an ancient Chinese proverb that says the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago, and the next best time is today. Plant a tree for your children's children. Second, as you plant the seeds of your prayers and concerns to God, set a course of action that won't have you passively sitting around waiting for God to miraculously answer your prayers. The fact that a tiny seed can become a mighty oak is amazing, just imagine what God has in store for you!
Coach Carter
