Waiting

I'm reading a book called Visioneering, by Andy Stanley. I picked up this book because, recently we sent a survey to all of our supported missionaries at WestGate. Three of them wrote this book down; one lives in Japan, one in the bay area, and one somewhere else (can't recall). But to me it says something when three people that don't know one another say that this was their favorite book that they've read this past year. So of course I ordered it.

As I've read chapter one, he talked about Nehemiah. He had this to say; ' Nehamiah's vision didn't begin as a vision. It begin as a concern, a burden.' For Nehamiah it was a burden for his nation and its people. Nehamiah knew what we all have a hard time remembering 'What could be and should be can't be until God is ready for it to be. So he waited.'

So often times at work and in life I hear a good idea or better yet a great idea. In many instances I want to jump on the idea and start NOW! I've learned through jumping on an idea too early that things take time to develop. Just as we can't rush a 9month pregancy we can't rush a vision, a burden, an idea. It takes time to develop, sharpen, a deeper burden for that vision, and prayer.

Some people might wait for forty years like Moses, or four months like Nehamiah, but all the same there is a waiting period. There is a burden, idea, vision that has been on my heart for over four years (since come home from the mission field) that I've yet to hear God saying it's time. There have been oppurtunities for me to jump on this and start but each time, God's asked me to wait. All along my heart is growing in love and burden for these people. But I have to remember: 'What could be and should be can't be until God is ready for it to be.'

So now I continue to wait.