In our newest church, after moving across the country, I have just begun to play cello in some of the services. It is a very small church, and so we have both an early and a late service in order to have room for everyone. I was playing in both services, and in the first service, I had been asked to start the introduction to one of the songs all by myself. It went well, and so I was ready to go in the second service too. But in the first service, we had inadvertently skipped one part of the service, and so when I started playing at the same time in the second service, following what I thought was one of the others nodding their head at me to begin, I had to be told to stop and wait – it wasn’t time yet for me!
This brings into focus one difficulty of trying to be patient. How do we reconcile being brave and stepping ahead, like Esther did back in the chapter on courage, with waiting patiently on God? How can we be both courageous and patient?
This is something that just has to be evaluated in every unique circumstance. Esther did act courageously and stand up for her people, but she did so in a very measured, well thought out manner. She courageously initiated the encounter with the king, but then prolonged things by patiently having several dinners with the king and her enemy before she felt they were ready for her to reveal her enemy’s treachery.
Trust God to help you determine the best way to proceed. When we use His timing, our impact is magnified, our lives are more vital and strong, ‘our’ plans become His plans – and when our plans are His, they succeed.
But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31