I sat in my favorite chair enjoying the beauty of the tulips in my neighbor’s yard. The sun was streaming through the window bringing warmth and comfort not only to my body but also my soul as I took in the view. I have always found tulips to be such a hopeful flower. And in that moment their presence across the yard inspired hope in my heart.
The previous night had been a long one for me. You know, the kind of night that just seems cruel, where are the light of dawn will seemingly never come. Just like long nights, we all have our more permanent struggles that seem unending. Whether it be a chronic illness, a strained marriage, or financial difficulties. Any condition that drags on can exert a pressure on one’s spirit to where we feel crushed. Going on another day can feel unbearable.
Burying the seeds of hope
Have you ever seen a tulip seed? Like most seeds, it’s small and unimpressive. From its appearance alone, one would not put hope in anything of beauty coming from it. So how even more amazing that this seed grows into the most gorgeous of flowers! But a seed takes time to germinate, to grow, to blossom. It is in darkness and protection from the elements that this dormant entity is brought to beautiful life.
Sometimes we must bury the seeds of hope, of promise, of blessing, that God has given us in order to see them grow. It feels risky, filled with uncertainty that what is now out of sight will actually produce anything. Sometimes it feels like the death of it.
We must wait, wait, and wait
It takes five years for a tulip seed to develop into a flowering plant. In this culture of instant gratification, this seems unbearable. Waiting is despised. God sees waiting very differently. Waiting demonstrates trust, faithfulness, humility. It puts us in a posture of utter dependence upon the Blessed Controller of all things. Sometimes we need to wait, wait, and then wait some more.
We are not alone in our waiting. History reveals this time and again. Some of the greatest figures in the Bible had to wait many years for God to fulfill his promises to them.
The time of germination and growth
Abraham waited 25 years for God to fulfill the promise of a son. Joseph waited 13 years before God brought the dream he had given him to reality. Mary waited 30 years for the fulfillment of the promise that her son would be the Messiah. Moses endured 40 years of wandering before he saw the promised land. David waited over 20 years, and through much travail, to receive the promise of kingship over God’s people. And then, of course, we must remember the heroes listed in Hebrews 11, who were commended for their faith, yet never received what they were promised this side of heaven.
The tulip outside my window was beautiful and in full bloom. But, I did not witness the years of germination and growth it took to produce this most amazing bloom. As I sat there I thought about the many moments I had waited upon God to do what only He could do: restore hope to my soul by reminding me of his promises and his unfailing faithfulness in my life. I am still waiting to see certain promises from God fulfilled in my life, but I know my hope will not be disappointed.
So, what do we do while we wait? The answer is not to twiddle our thumbs. On the contrary, Hebrews exhorts us, “And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” {efn_note]Hebrews 6:11-12, ESV[/efn_note].
God finishes what he starts
Let us not be complacent in our waiting. Rather, let us pray without ceasing. Retain a full assurance of hope, ever expectant for what God is going to do next. Exercise faith by remaining obedient to what God has commanded us to do.
God always finishes what he starts. We can trust him in the process, even when we only see in part, because he knows the end. God is indeed working in our waiting. He is sanctifying us through it. He is bringing beautiful life from the dry ground. God is faithful 100% of the time. If he has said it, we can rest assured that he will bring it to pass. We can count it as good as done, it is just a matter of time.
