How many years from God’s promise to Abram until the birth of Isaac?
How many years from Joseph’s dream until he became second in command of all of Egypt?
How many years did Moses spend tending sheep in Midian?
How many years between the moment David was anointed King of Israel and the moment he became King of Israel?
How many years between the time Jesus knew he must be about his Father’s business and the beginning of his ministry?
How many years from Saul’s (Paul) conversion until he was sent out from Antioch?
I’ve been thinking this morning about God’s calling. I first responded to God’s call on my life at age 14. It’s now 24 years later and I feel I’m just now at the beginning of stepping into some of what God spoke to me then. During the process I was often frustrated and in a big hurry. It seemed unreasonable that God would delay so long. Looking back, I wouldn’t trade it.
If you’re in a long season of waiting like that, a season of prisons, caves, sheep, wilderness, pits, and carpenter shops, you’re in good company.
23 Comments
PERSPECTIVE…thank you, Alan. I needed this today…
Thank you, Alan….I am in a season of waiting…for some reason, I feel like crying because your words are so comforting to me.
-Anna H.
What does ‘calling’ mean to you?
Brandon,
“Calling” as I’m using it here speaks to specific destiny, something we are called to do…like Paul being called as an apostle to the gentiles. I’m using it in this specific way rather than the broader sense in which “calling” refers to the effective call of God through the proclamation of the gospel. Hope that helps.
alan
That’s what I thought I just wanted to make sure because I find the term a little frustrating myself. I’ve heard it all my life and… I too “was often frustrated and in a big hurry. It seemed unreasonable that God would delay so long.”
I heard Pastor Wendell Smith say this once:
“We tend to think of destiny and achievement, as accomplishments stuff to do. But God thinks of destiny as “who you are to be.” And if He could just get you to be who you are called to be, then you would do what you are called to do.”
“If he could just get you to be an apple tree, you’d bare apples.”
It kind of adds a hint that the specific calling is the result of the broader calling:
This helped me shift my focus from the ‘to do’ to the ‘who am I’, eliminating frustration somewhat, but do you think he is accurate? What do you think about the statement? Do you think a specific calling is separate from the broader sense?
I think the specific task God has called you to often matches the person he has called you to be in very specific and sometimes surprising ways. Doing flows from being. Being is certainly primary and foundational. Great comments Brandon!
Thank you Alan for this blog. I am in waiting mode right now. I like so many other people dont like to wait especially when you know that something amazing is just around the corner. This is where I am learning patience.
I think my ‘calling’ is to wait.
ha.
Like the others who have posted, I, too, am in a wilderness of waiting. Having been in this wilderness before, I recognize this time around that my waiting isn’t to be passive.
“Be STILL and know I am God?” Yes. But the Hebrew word there can also mean “quiet”. Listening in quiet while I actively seek Him in the wilderness of waiting.
This is such a timely reminder. Waiting is hard. That’s a given. Especially when you feel that you are ready to step into your destiny.
But, this blog also made me wonder about destiny and calling. Am I WHO God purposed me to be? In Full?
Hmmm… I’m gonna have to seek God about this in the morning.
Thinking about Jesus saying a servant is not greater than his master. He waited – we will wait.
This is my favorite “long season” of waiting… 1 After a long time, in the third year, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.” – 1 Kings 18:1
Elijah, this man I consider to be a giant of the faith, and in the scripture God is sure to include “after a long time”, so you know it had to be a knock down drag out spiritual battle when the description was put in there. You know, kinda like when Jesus was fasting 40 days and it mentions “and he was hungry.” I think true seasons of waiting are joyful much, much later but can be very difficult in the “now.” Way to go for you, sticking it out 24 years and counting!
wow…yep…feels just like that at the moment…thanks my friend.
This ties in well with the word you had for me at the GG Leaders Ministry Night last week and spoke straight to my heart. It is good to have individuals like you in my life that God can speak through. Alan you are appreciated!
I guess I had better get used to waiting:)
Good stuff- thank you!
Alan,
reading this morning in 1 Saumel about Hannah in chapt 1…..she waited and waited for a son.
In v. 19- it says “The Lord remembered her….”
The enemy would want for me SOOOOOOO quickly to believe that terminology was meant to imply that he’d forgotten her….and then remembered. I know that I HAVE to believe that HE DID NOT FORGET HER…..
But. Wrestling with it this morning.
Any insight on that?
Hi Minda,
Great question!
The Bible often speaks of God “remembering” then acting. This doesn’t imply that God had forgotten. It rather means that God was mindful of His promise, responsive to the prayer and groaning of His people, and in His timing was choosing to act. When His people experienced His redemptive action, they described it as Him having “remembered” them, or His promise, or His covenenant.
The implication of Hannah’s story is not that she had previously slipped His mind. Rather, she had been persistently crying out to God for a child, the High Priest had made a prophetic declaration, Hannah and her husband did their part,
and God “remembered her”. He remembered the promise made through that declaration, the prayers of Hannah, and in His timing chose to act in righteousness and faithfulness to fulfill all He had purposed to do.
Hope that helps!
Alan
The interesting thing is how He will give me a sense of urgency and then asks me to steward that wisely during the “waiting” period….YUCKY but fruit producing….know what i mean?
Hurry up and wait. Bothers me but doesn’t seem to make God uncomfortable at all.
My deferred hope has made my heart sick. Sadly, I have even forgot much of what He promised me.
I love when my Papa uses others to speak right in to my heart. I just listened to Bob Hamp teach “Hearing God” and was thinking over the ways we hear Him. Love that this is one of those ways….
I just returned from Bushido and recieved such a calling and words spoken in to me last week. This morning I was just talking to Him about what’s next. What do I do, where do I go? How long is this going to take? Then I happened by this article. Thank you so much for being His vessel.
Thanks for a great word, Alan! I often have to remind myself of Sarah because, like her, I have been waiting a long time for God’s promises. Thanks for sharing all your encouraging words here and on Facebook!