Don’t spend your time rushing to accomplish everything, now, that you don’t leave yourself anything else to strive for. What do I mean? Well, if you rush to be CEO by 25, what else will you have to work towards? If you rush to be a bishop at 19, what else is there left to be? If your fifth marriage, by the time you’re 30, is ending when will you have time to really get the one God has for you? What I am asking is, why are you rushing the process of what God has ordained for your life? Yes, God has given some of us, in the ministry, the anointing of being a pastor but you’ve got to first get the part of associate minister, down. Yes, God has given some of us leadership ability but you can’t lead if you’ve yet to follow. Yes, God has given some of us the victory but it was only after running the race. Yea, some of us have received a breakthrough but it was only after the suffering. Yea, some of us have been restored but it was only after being broken. What’s my point? You can’t rush the process of what God is doing. Haven’t you realized by now that when you rush you mess up? When you’re rushing to leave the house, you forget something. When you rush to get something done, you don’t notice the mistakes until it’s too late. When you rush into a relationship, you realize when you’re too far in, this isn’t what I needed. When you rush worship, you miss the fire of the Holy Spirit. When you rush to grow up, you regret it once you’re actually grown. When you rush to get to the future, you miss the present. Slow down!
It’s like this … For me, being in ministry is what I was called to do but it’s a process. Yes, I know God has something more for me but I can’t rush the process of what He’s doing, not only in my life but in the life of my husband and my children because it affects them too. This is why God won’t allow me to move until He’s processed each of us for where WE are headed. It isn’t just about me because with ministry comes work for not only me but for them as well. And we all have to be ready. This is why you need to slow down and allow God to do the work. If what you’re asking for hasn’t happened yet, your process isn’t done. I know you’re ready to get married but are your children ready? I know you’re ready to move out-of-town but is your spouse? I know you’re ready for God to enlarge your territory but can your family handle it? When God moves in your life, those attached to you are also affected. This is why you have to be mindful of what you’re asking for. Being in the ministry, my family has to expect there may be more than one church service, there may be late night phone calls, early morning prayer requests or there may even be times I can’t go out-of-town that weekend. It’s part of the process. But don’t rush it! Allow God to process you along with everything and everybody around you. This ensures that when it seems as if the fire is getting too hot, they won’t run because they’ve already been prepared to withstand. Don’t rush the process.
“But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.” Romans 8:25
Lakisha, the Author 