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Some friends and family like to call me a trigger puller because I’m the type of person who doesn’t sit around and wait once a decision has been made. I immediately do what was discussed or decided. I’m the same way when it comes to what I’m praying for or what I feel like God is telling me to do. The problem I run into is that God will often reveal what He’d like me to do or where He’d like me to go, but the door will be closed in that moment. After I try to kick it in a few times, I’m reminded to wait on His timing and leading. Most of the time He’s not waiting on me to be ready to obey. Instead He’s waiting on me to develop and grow more before I’m able to handle what He wants to lead me into. If we’re following God, then we must let Him lead with His timing and direction.

In Numbers 9, God had told the Israelites that the Promised Land was theirs. However, they weren’t ready to receive it. What should have taken a week or so to walk, was taking a lot longer. They had to learn to trust God and His leading. Verse 22 says, “Whether it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud [of the Lord’s presence] lingered over the tabernacle, staying above it, the Israelites remained camped and did not set out; but when it was lifted, they set out” (AMP). God’s timing and movements were unpredictable. Sometimes they stayed at a place over night, and others much longer. They had to learn to move when He moved before they were ready to receive what was promised.

Psalm 27:14 says, “Trust in the Lord. Have faith, do not despair. Trust in the Lord” (GNT). This was written by David before he was anointed king. He was someone else who had to trust the Lord’s timing. It was 14 years after he was anointed until he became king. God used that time to prepare him and the people. How long have you been waiting on God’s timing? Like His presence leading Israel, it may seem unpredictable, but keep trusting in Him. Don’t try to force it. In this period of waiting, ask God, “What do you want me to know while I wait? And what do you want to grow in my?” You may not be able to understand his “why” for the delay, but you will be able to understand what He wants you to know and grow. In the mean time, keep trusting in Him and His timing.

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When I was a teenager, I had a shirt that read, “Second place is first loser”. When I watched “Talladega Nights” and Ricky Bobby said, “If you’re not first, you’re last,” I laughed pretty hard. He expressed my mentality pretty well. I’ve always been on the competitive side. Part of that must come from being the middle child. I honestly can’t stand losing, and now my son has it. He got a 99 on a test this year. He came home disappointed and said, “I might as well have failed.” Not being first is a hard pill to swallow, but it is what Christ has called us to. When we accept Him, we are to get off the throne of our life to make Him number one, putting ourself in second place.

On the night before Jesus was to be crucified, He knew what was coming. For 33 years He knew what He was born to do. Even though He knew it, and was willing, His flesh fought back. In Mark 14:36, we hear Him pray, “Father, my Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet not what I want, but what you want” (GNT). He made a conscious effort in the most difficult circumstance to submit to God’s will and place His own in second place. He was demonstrating to us that we must yield to God and constantly offer Him first place in our lives. Anything less is not true submission to Him.

1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts set Christ apart [as holy—acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord” (AMP). Becoming a mature Christian is the process of giving up the throne of your life to Jesus. It’s willfully taking second place, which is a very hard thing to do. When we accept second place, and allow Him first place in our lives, we fulfill God’s will for our lives because we have life in proper order. If you’re struggling to give up first place, you’re not alone. It’s a daily process of taking up our cross, crucifying our flesh and following Him. Spiritual growth and maturity happen when we accept second place.

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Since I’m traveling today, enjoy this previously written devotion. I’ll return tomorrow with a new one.

A friend of mine was sharing with me how he had been witnessing to his uncle. One day they were out together and the uncle said, “I don’t know why I’m still here.” My friend replied, “God must have something for you to do still.” The uncle paused, looked at him and said, “You don’t know all the bad things I’ve done. I’ve done some horrible things.” My friend gently replied, “Those things are no match for the blood of Jesus. The grace of God is greater than anything you have done.” They uncle hesitantly admitted God had been dealing with him, but kept referring to who he had been. My friend said, “It doesn’t matter who you have been or how you have lived. What matters is how you respond to God’s grace.” Heaven rejoiced that day.

In Luke 19, Jesus was on His way through Jericho to Jerusalem. As He walked through the streets, crowds gathered around Him. There was a man in the crowd who had been dying to meet Jesus, but couldn’t see Him because he couldn’t see over the crowd. He then ran ahead of where Jesus was going and climbed up a sycamore tree so He could see Jesus. When Jesus got near him, He looked up and told Zacchaeus that He needed to go to his house. The people were upset that Jesus chose to go into the home of a notorious sinner. Zacchaeus responded to that invitation by saying he was going to give half of his possessions away to the poor and repay those he cheated. Jesus said that salvation had come into that house.

Ephesians 4:22-23 says, “So get rid of your old self, which made you live as you used to—the old self that was being destroyed by its deceitful desires. Your hearts and minds must be made completely new” (GNT). Our response to God’s grace should be to put off who we used to be. That becomes our old identity because now we identify as God’s child. Since we no longer identify as that person, we are to get rid of that behavior from our lives. God has given you a new identity that comes with new behaviors. Remember, it’s not about who you have been that matters. It’s how you respond to God’s grace. My friend’s uncle and Zacchaeus both changed their identities and how they lived. It’s time each of us allow ourselves to be made new.

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There’s a Fruit of the Spirit that I call the forgotten fruit. It’s the one we least like because it’s the one that goes against our flesh the most. It’s the fruit of self control. When we exercise this fruit, we restrain our run away thoughts, emotions, words and bring our actions into alignment with God’s desires. It’s giving the Holy Spirit the reigns of our mind so that we are led by Him rather than our desires. We don’t like to talk about this fruit much, but it’s evidence needs to be seen in our lives as much as the other fruits. When’s the last time you told yourself, “No”? Fasting is a great way to grow this fruit in your life. Remember Romans 8:14 says that the people who are led by the Spirit, rather than their flesh, are the ones called sons of God. Don’t let this fruit be forgotten in your life.

Here are some Bible verses on self control:

1. So devote yourselves to lavishly supplementing your faith with goodness, and to goodness add understanding, and to understanding add the strength of self-control, and to self-control add patient endurance, and to patient endurance add godliness, and to godliness add mercy toward your brothers and sisters, and to mercy toward others add unending love. Since these virtues are already planted deep within, and you possess them in abundant supply, they will keep you from being inactive or fruitless in your pursuit of knowing Jesus Christ more intimately.

2 Peter 1:5-8 TPT

2. Since we are approaching the end of all things, be intentional, purposeful, and self-controlled so that you can be given to prayer.

1 Peter 4:7 TPT

3. Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.

Titus 2:2 NLT

4. The sins of the wicked are a trap. They get caught in the net of their own sin. They die because they have no self-control. Their utter stupidity will send them to their graves.

Proverbs 5:22-23 GNT

5. He who has knowledge restrains and is careful with his words, And a man of understanding and wisdom has a cool spirit (self-control, an even temper).

Proverbs 17:27 AMP

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