INDEED, He is never early nor late. God makes all things possible in His own perfect time and place. In life, we may make plans according to our timeline, but if it's not meant to happen, it will not push through. Yes, we may feel disappointed and unhappy about the delays, but as they say, there is joy in waiting.
I would like to share the 7 important benefits of waiting upon the Lord written by https://undoubtedgrace.com/.
1. Waiting on the Lord build endurance
Whatever it is that we are praying for whether it is a promotion, new house, or a new partner, learning how to endure will definitely help us cherish it when we finally acquire it. For example, if I finally get promoted, being a leader requires the skills such as managing people, setting a good example, and being accountable. This is where our experiences that helped us develop our endurance will come in. Such as in running a good race, we will feel tired and run out of power, but we must endure and finish the race we have started.
2. Waiting on the lord prepares you for the promise
If you are single and have been really wanting to find your other half, then you might want to enjoy and bask in the freedom of single individuals while waiting for the perfect one to come into your life. You can do all the things you want to do, wear all the clothes you want to wear, and basically not have to consult or ask permission from another person to do something in your life. The moment you commit in a relationship, most especially if you get married, you no longer decide for yourself but need to get the approval of your partner in almost anything and everything that you will decide on in your life. In short, the waiting time if the time to prepare us for the demands or consequences of whatever we are praying for.
3. Waiting on God protects us from danger
Cliche as it may sound, but it's true that everything happens for a reason. If we do not get the answers to our prayers as of the moment, then there is certainly a good reason for that. It may be that we are not fully prepared for it or that God is shielding us from dangers or bad things that may arise from it.
4. Waiting on God to answer our prayers allows us to know more about the character of God
While waiting for our turn or for our prayers to be answered, we tend to pray and cling more to God. The season of waiting teaches us how to patient and how to have faith in the promises that the Lord made for us. At times we may feel that God gives us this pain of not having what we want, but in truth, God waits for that perfect time when He sees that we are ready for it emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
5. Waiting allows God to show us who we are and what we are capable of
Our waiting period gives us the opportunity to assess ourselves if we have what it takes to take on the demands and challenges that come with the things we are praying for. Say, if we are praying for a new house, while waiting for it to happen is the time for us to learn the skills on how to keep a house in order, manage finances to keep up with all the costs of maintaining a house, and all the other obligations that come with owning your own space. In that way, when our prayers are answered, we know that we are more than ready for it.
6. Waiting assures us of what we are saying yes to
At times, we rush into decisions based on what is trending and what is hot like, if there is a new iPhone model out or a new car released in the market, we jump into that feeling of "needing" to have it. But in truth, we may not really need it at the moment. Similar to whatever we are praying for, waiting or not immediately buying what we see in our neighbor's house or our relative's purse will mean that we too must have that. We need to be sure that we will be able to stand up for the effects or consequences of purchasing it.
7. When we wait on the Lord we have time to rest
Rest is an essential aspect of a healthy and well-balanced life. It comes indifferent forms such as physical, emotional, mental, and also spiritual. At times, people forego or sacrifice rest because of the things that they need to do. When I became a mother, I no longer have a full day without having to worry about my kids, or when they were newborn babies, I no longer enjoyed a good sleep because I need to take care of their needs. In life, whenever we wait for something to happen, we must seize that time to stop and rest for a while. God wants us to enjoy what we have, and when we finally have it, be more thankful for the added blessings in our lives.