In an age of instant this, and instant that, waiting has become a serious discipline... especially when it's your only option!
There are many things in life that we can "speed up" if we're willing to cut corners, side-step certain scenarios, or even make do with a sub-standard finished product.
When it comes to spiritual growth, the growth of your ministry, or anything else that can only be grown through the working of God... then patience becomes more than just a virtue... it becomes an absolute necessity.. to your sanity and longevity as a minister.
I like the way Paul talks about this when writing to the church in Corinth about the source of true growth:
"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow" (1 Cor. 3:6).
We're in a season of watering right now in a lot of our ministry efforts here...
The students who helped us plant the seeds of a number of ministry efforts have graduated and moved on... and while we think we might some some sprouts starting to poke through the dirt of our campus, there's no clear sign of much happening.
We are waiting, in faith, and believing that God is at work beneath the surface of our prayerful efforts!
It's the watering season...
And while that's hard enough for the staff - that has a long-term vision and buy-in to our ministry efforts on campus - it's much harder, I believe, on student leaders who want so badly to see God move in mighty ways right now - especially on the heals of big prayers, creative efforts, new ideas and a strong belief that something "more" should be happening.
In an instant society, waiting can often feel more like death or dying...
But learning to listen for the leading of God - above all of the noise, distraction and promptings from those who struggle to be patient to try something new - must become a well-practiced spiritual discipline.
That and waiting!
How do you deal with the "watering seasons?" How do you help students through times like this?
