What should we do when we feel the need to act in haste?
Anyone ever rush in and act in haste? Ever move out of fear, anger, or other emotions? How about scams on social media, from telemarketers, or craigslist, that are too good to be true? We have probably all been in situations where we feel the pressure to make a hasty choice.
In looking at Scripture, God does not tell us to rush into decisions. (He just doesn’t appear to work that way). In fact, we will see in today’s message that He usually works and guides us in the opposite approach.
People in the financial (or business) world know that success rarely follows a “snap decision”. Our Heavenly Father will not tell us to rush in blindly. (He always equips us. Ex: Wisdom.)
During my time in the Army, I was taught early on about the 1/3-2/3 rule. This helped me understand that in any mission, an effective leader makes every effort to utilize the first 1/3rd of the allotted time into the planning of each operation before taking action. Then productively accomplishing the mission with the remaining 2/3rds of the planned-out time. This served me well for my entire military career, and still does so to this very day.
My friends, at times we may need to move swiftly, but we can move swiftly “in The Will of God”, and not hurry into a situation without God’s Blessing. An example from the movie “HACKSAW RIDGE” a true story from WWII, tells of a time when it was the Sabbath and they were all waiting for their Army Medic, Desmond Doss, to finish his time of worship and prayer before the unit would go back up the ridge for the next wave of combat.
This decision to strategically and patiently wait, brought victory to Desmond Doss and his unit that day; and the same practice can bring victory to us and to our team this very day.
In our life, the enemy (our adversary) almost always tries to manipulate us into acting immediately and rashly. Because satan knows that if we do back off and think long enough & pray, we will most likely reconsider and make a healthy decision.
When we rush in, and most of us have done this before, we have made mistakes; and if we continue to act in haste, we could create situations that we regret for a long time.
That is why Scripture tells us to wait on God and find our rest in Him.
Psalm 27:14 (NIV) Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
Psalm 62:5 (NIV) Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.
If we feel an overwhelming urge to act in haste, then we had better pull in the reins and patiently wait. Because The Lord wants us to get all the details and His guidance first; before we take any action.
Look at 2 examples/King Saul (1 Sam. 10:8) and Nehemiah (When Artaxerxes sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem), who both waited until God put the specifics in place. Then they moved in trust and obedience.
1 Sam. 10:8 “Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do.”
Nehemiah 2:8b And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.
Both Saul and Nehemiah waited for God to guide and equip them. When God faithful did so; Only then did they move and take wise action, and they had Had the gracious hand of God upon them.
Each one of us can do the same today! Just ask the LORD. He is listening.
Blessings from Above, Ch Robert Kinnune