For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay (Habakkuk 2:3).

God has a storehouse of blessings that he has reserved for you and me. However, the timing to receive those blessings may not be the same as our Lord's. God has a specific timetable that He requires to accomplish His purposes in the life of the believer. Sometimes that timetable seems excruciatingly cruel and painful, yet it is needful.

When we read that Joseph remained a slave in Eqypt and was then placed in prison after being wrongfully accused, it would be easy to second-guess the God of the universe. "Oh, how cruel and uncaring," we might think. He thought he was going to be delivered from prison when he interpreted a dream for a court official only to be forgotten another two years. Why? An early release would have disrupted God's perfect plan.

God takes time to develop the character before anything else. God could not afford to have a 30-year old with any pride managing the resources of an entire region of the world. We can sometimes delay this timetable if we refuse his correction.

Although it is sometimes difficult to understand, the Lord is just and gracious in His dealings with His children. When He does decide to move on your behalf, you will appreciate the delay and will often understand the reason it was needed. "Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" (Isaiah 30:18)

If you are awaiting the fulfillment of a vision in your life, ask the Lord for His grace to sustain you. It will be worth the wait.