When To Move . . . When To Wait: Part 1

Moving ahead in God’s strength:
David didn’t spend time waiting to slay Goliath—
after gathering five stones for his slingshot—he attacked.
(See 1 Samuel 17:32.)

Lazarus didn’t linger in the tomb when he heard Christ’s
voice—he came out immediately. (See Luke 11:43-44.)

When Jesus called Peter and Andrew, they “left
their nets at once” (Matthew 4:20 NLT).

Waiting patiently in God’s strength:
When God promised Hannah a son, she trusted His Word and
waited for the promise to be fulfilled. (See 1 Samuel 1.)

After bombarding God with an entire chapter of questions,
Habakkuk climbed his watchtower and patiently waited for
God to speak. (See Habakkuk 1-2.)

When David was only a teenager, he knew God had
appointed him to become the king of Israel, but he
waited years for God to make it happen.

When God tells us to GO, we need to move forward immediately.
But when He tells us to WAIT, the worst thing we can do is to move
ahead on our own.

Those who act impatiently always have to deal with the
consequences on moving forward outside of God’s timing.

Saul got tired of waiting on God’s chosen leader Samuel to sacrifice
the burnt offering, and he directly disobeyed God by offering it
himself:

“Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had
instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. So he demanded,
‘Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!’ And Saul
sacrificed the burnt offering himself” (1 Samuel 13:8-9 NLT).
Consequence: The kingdom was taken away from him.

Sarah got tired of waiting on God to fulfill His promise to give her a
son, so she gave her servant, Hagar, to her husband, Abraham, to
conceive and have a son for her.
Consequence: Ishmael (son through Hagar and Abraham) and
Isaac (God’s promised son through Sarah and Abraham 25 years
later), became two rivaling people groups who are still at war today
(Muslims and Jews).

So . . . how do know when to move and when to wait?

Great question!
We’ll continue this chat next week, March 26.

Thoughts?
Want to share how you’ve discerned the difference of when to wait on
God and when to move forward in His strength?