As I was reading Genesis, I came across something very comforting. Abraham questioned God. In chapter 17, verse 17, Abraham questions in his heart about having the son that God promised him through Sarah. If you remember the story, Sarah was barren and chose to help God in His promise because she felt maybe one of two things. It wasn't going to happen, and it was taking too long. That's how Ishmael came to be. I know you might not understand why I would find it comforting. Simply, it's nice to know that I am not the only one who questions God and that a man who is stated to believe God's word (Galatians 3:6), a man of faith (Hebrews 11:8-11) yet he still questioned God, even tried to help Him by telling God to use Ishmael (Genesis 17:18)
I find it very comforting to know that a patriarch of our Christian faith questioned God. He tried to take it into his own hands with the help of Sarah. This affirms that even those we read about have faults like us. They aren't any more perfect than I am.
I genuinely believe there is nothing wrong with questioning God to try and understand what He is asking you to do or why you have to wait. That doesn’t mean we are going to like or sometimes even understand His answer. And there are even times when He doesn’t answer at all. In Genesis 17:19, God answers by saying no and then reminds Abraham of His promise that Sarah will bear him a son. I can imagine Abraham being a little frustrated with this answer, but it seems that Abraham accepted this answer.
It's in these times that we have to trust that even though it's not happening right now, it will happen and not take it into our own hands. Trust me, when we choose to do it in our own power and timing and not wait on the Lord, it makes it even worse to the point where you may cause more damage than good.
Here are a couple of things I have to look back on and remember when I start to get impatient, try to take it into my own hands, or question God about the fact that I believe He is taking too long, you know to help God out.
God's timing isn't my timing. We don't even live in the same time zone (2 Peter 3:8 and Ecclesiastes 3:1), and believe it or not, His time is perfect (2 Peter 3:9). He doesn't need our help no matter how much we think He does. What He asks of us is to submit to what He has called us to do (Proverbs 3:5-6) and to let Him direct our steps. (Proverbs 16:9)
Is it easy? No, especially for a control freak who isn't very patient like me. But when I choose to rest in Him and wait on the Lord, it turns out so much better than I could have imagined.