How long should one wait for God?

Man is known for being impatient. This has led even Christians to depart from God’s presence to seek help from lesser gods. This is a deviation from God’s command in Exodus 20:3, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” It is further commanded in Exodus 23:24 that, “Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.”

Instead of blocking our ears land running away from the presence of God’s which guarantees “fullness of joy” (Psalms 16:11), we should try to be humble by confessing and forsaking our evils ways. Abandoning God for idols and spirit mediums only show how arrogant we are to our Creator. Psalms 27:14 says, “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” To wait on the Lord means relying only on God in matters that require divine guidance or assistance. As Christians, there are situations we do not need God’s guidance or assistance. For instance, we do not need God’s guidance about whether to help a widow or orphan in need. We do not also need God’s guidance whether to commit fornication or not. These are already settled matters. However, we should work hard and wait solely on God for our material and financial blessings. We can also wait for God in matters involving making unpredictable choices.  

In Proverbs 8:34, God says, “Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.” So many Christians have waited for God and still suffered loss. This is because they missed a crucial fact. Let us consider the account of Psalms 130:5. “I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.” Waiting require total surrender. While waiting for God, some also consult witch doctors and other devilish agents. Many others wait for God without hope in His word. There is power in the word of God. The word of God is light unto our feet. It gives direction. It is recorded in Hebrew 4:12 that, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." It means that when we need something very urgently, the word of God is quick enough to deliver them on time. When we are faced with tough opposition, the word of God is strong enough to defend us. The word of God is sharp enough to cut any chain holding us in captivity. 

As Christians, we are under obligation to wait on God in the tradition of “watch and pray” (Matthew 26:41). No one waits on God diligently and suffer loss. We must purify our bodies so that His word in Matthew 7:7 would come to pass in our lives. We must always remember Psalm 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” In Mark 11:25-16, Jesus instructed that, “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Our salvation is tied to our sinless nature through divine grace or our own personal efforts. See Philippians 2:12. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”