4 January -- "Why Can I Not Follow You Now"

(click the link above to read the entry in My Utmost for His Highest)

Additional Scriptures: John 13:36-38, Mosiah 4:27, Mosiah 3:19

I want it now! Now, I tell you. We are such a "fast food" society. If we go to a drive-thru and the other takes more than 5 minutes, we are miffed. It's a full meal ... I mean really, can't we wait a little bit?

We do the same with our relationship with God. We impose our will on His and want to rush through the journey. Since God doesn't tell us what is going to happen next, we grow impatient. We attempt to fill our time of waiting with all sorts of "good" things. That simply takes us away from the purposes of God. The busyness creates doubt and confusion. We have to wait. We cannot run faster than we are able -- and sometimes we should not be running at all!

The frustrating thing is that sometimes we know exactly what we are supposed to do -- we have received revelation that we need to quit a job or end a relationship -- but there is a tinge of uncertainty. Impulse is the problem because if we wait for God's timing, everything will happen without heartache and disappointment. Oh, but the waiting is so contrary to who we are as natural human beings. The waiting might also be a time a growth and sanctification. Remember, that we can know who God is, not only His purpose, but Him. But clanging around a kitchen never made water boil any faster -- neither does occupying your time with mediocre substitutes for God's will.

Peter tried to rush things and announced that he would do more than he was capable of doing at that moment. He didn't know he wasn't capable, but Christ knew. God and Christ know us perfectly. They will never give us more than we are able to handle. The excitement of new knowledge and a new relationship with Christ maybe enough in the beginning to start the journey, but constantly rushing headlong into what we think is right will lead us to deny Jesus -- at the worst possible moment.