PRINCIPLES OF BIBLICAL SUCCESS: PATIENCE
35 THEREFORE DO NOT CAST AWAY YOUR CONFIDENCE, WHICH HAS GREAT REWARD.
36 FOR YOU HAVE NEED OF ENDURANCE, SO THAT AFTER YOU HAVE DONE THE WILL OF GOD, YOU MAY RECEIVE THE PROMISE:
37 "FOR YET A LITTLE WHILE, and he who is coming will come and will not tarry [delay]."
Hebrews 10:35-37 (NKJV)
"KNOWING THAT THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH PRODUCES PATIENCE [endurance or perseverance]."
James 1:3 (NKJV)
Godly success is progressive!
No matter the effort you put or how hard you try, all you need would not be given to you at a time. God does things systematically and progressively.
God may grant you speed in your journey in life, or in the assignment given to you, but the increase or promotion would still be progressive.
All things been equal, you may accomplish in a couple of years what some others have used any number of years to accomplish—because you are walking in a covenant with God.
But all the same, you will still have to pass the law of progression, a step at a time, because it is a cardinal law: "AND THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL DRIVE OUT THOSE NATIONS BEFORE YOU LITTLE BY LITTLE; YOU WILL BE UNABLE TO DESTROY [consume] THEM AT ONCE, LEST THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD BECOME TOO NUMEROUS FOR YOU" (Deuteronomy 7:22).
God did promise to give the land of Canaan to the nation of Israel, even with the backing of God and all the promises made by Him to their forefathers, that is, the covenant He established with them; they would still not be able to take the land at a time—it has to be little by little (Deuteronomy 7:22).
Whatever God has promised to do or give to you, you should know that all would not come at a time—it has to be progressive.
The God we serve is the God Who usually started small and ended big: "THOUGH YOUR BEGINNING WAS SMALL, YET YOUR LATTER END WOULD INCREASE ABUNDANTLY" (Job 8:7).
We have billions of people in the world today, but God did not start with the multitudes, He started with one man and a woman, Adam and Eve (Genesis 1:27,28).
In a similar way, when God started with you, giving you a little; He would watch you for a while before He could add to you another little, and added another little, and keep promoting you until you have become big or great.
God will prove your heart, test you, that is, prove your reliability before He lifted you up: "BUT MAY THE GOD OF ALL GRACE, WHO CALLED US TO HIS ETERNAL GLORY BY CHRIST JESUS, AFTER YOU HAVE SUFFERED A WHILE [that is, after you have been tested], [then He will] PERFECT, ESTABLISH, STRENGTHEN, AND SETTLE YOU" (1 Peter 5:10).
• You learn endurance at the time of suffering, and that makes you strong and wise.
• You cannot claim you are wise when you have not pass through challenges or difficulties in life.
• Whatever you may be going through that may not be palatable is meant to produce a godly character in you—patience or any other fruit of the Spirit (James 1:3,4).
• Do not give up in whatever predicament you are, your change will surely come if you abide in Him and walk in the light of His Word (John 15:7).
Your blessing is around the corner, keep at it, it will come: "ALL THE DAYS OF MY HARD SERVICE I WILL WAIT TILL MY CHANGE COMES" (Job 14:14).
Some believers who are impatient have lost their blessings at the eve of their miracles.
Yours is about to happen, do not give up, intensify your commitments in the Lord.
Stay where God said to be, do not copy what someone else is doing—God has set a race before every individual, that is, He has different assignments which He wants everyone to fulfil: " . . . AND LET US RUN WITH ENDURANCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US" (Hebrews 12:1).
Note:
• The purpose of God for each individual differs, thus, wait until God has brought His purpose about your life to the fulfilment.
• Do not compromise your faith by commiting sin.
• Do not sell yourself cheap.
• Do not steal nor be involved in any shady deal or business.
• Do not falsify any account nor collude with others to cheat and swindle your boss or employer.
• Do not sell your birthright because of a morsel of meal, remember Esau: "LEST THERE BE ANY FORNICATOR OR PROFANE PERSON LIKE ESAU, WHO FOR ONE MORSEL OF FOOD SOLD HIS BIRTHRIGHT" (Hebrews 12:16).
You will not fail in Jesus' name. Peace!