When I arrived at the airport today I quickly overheard the attendants at the check-in counter saying a flight was delayed. I walked up to the counter to check if they were talking about my flight and in fact they were. The delay was for an hour and twenty minutes. That was a bummer but not too long of a wait. I proceeded to security, passed through it, and then sat down in the terminal only to hear that my flight was now delayed three hours and twenty minutes.
I am sitting here waiting. Three hours in a small airport can seem like forever. Sitting here waiting has caused me to reflect not on flight delays but spiritual delays. Maybe God has given you a promise or a glimpse of the future. For me he has. When God gives you a promise for the future it can feel much like waiting for a plane to take off. We start to become ansy rushing to the ticket counter to see if there is any other flight we can get on. Even if there isn't a flight for the specific place we are going to we would be very happy if there was a flight to somewhere close. We would do anything just to shave off a little bit of waiting time.
Does this describe you spritually? Waiting anxiously for the promise God has given. Are you trying to figure out how to shave anytime you can off of your waiting time? Are you begging God for an earlier arrival time on your destiny? Are you trying to negotiate with God saying, “Even if I can't get exactly where I'm supposed to go I'll settle for somewhere close. If I'm close then I can cover it from there and use my own means to arrive at the final destination”?
In the bible we find a woman who fits this description perfectly. Her name was Sarah. The plane that she was anxiously awaiting to take off was the birth of a son. Sarah was the wife of Abraham. In Genesis 15:5 God made Abraham a promise that his children would be as numerous as the stars. This is quite a peculiar promise considering that Abraham is at least 75 years old and Sarah had not given him a child.
Sarah was anxious much like I am right now waiting for my plane to take off. Except for the fact I know how long my delay is going to be, while she did not. Sarah became so anxious for her promise, for the arrival of her destiny that she was willing to settle for something that was not exactly the destiny God had promised her but close. Sarah gave up on her plane so she tried to board someone elses. Sarah got her Eygpytian slave Hagar to sleep with her husband Abraham so that she could have a son. No wonder they didn't watch soap operas then, they lived them.
Unfortunately using someone else to get her plane instead of trusting God did not turn out favorably for her or any of the people involved. Sarah began to hate Hagar for bearing what Sarah believed was her destiny. She mistreated Hagar and Hagar fled. God was still faithful to Hagar. She bore a son Ishamael who's descendants are numerous to this day. They are Arabs who constantly war with the Israelites who are the descendants of Abraham and Sarah.
Moral of the story: when facing spiritual delays do not get someone else besides God to get your plane for you. Wait for the plane promised to you. Using someone else or boarding another plane causes serious damage to you and others in your path. God will still give you the promise but the promise maybe forever tormented by what you did in your delay time.
If today you are facing a spiritual delay learn from Sarah's mistake and wait. Enjoy what God has given you right now. Even if you are not able to board the plane or take hold of your promise you have something better than any promise right here right now. His name is Jesus. He is the greatest gift of all. Use your delay time to build an even stronger relationship with him. When your promise comes it will be all it was meant to be because of your obedience. Wait for your plane!
Written By: Danielle O'Neil