In prayer this morning the Lord started speaking to me about eager anticipation versus patient expectation. He made a clear distinction between the two and I found it very insightful and wanted to share it with you for the days that are upon us are exciting days, but they are days that demand our restraint.

Eager anticipation senses the atmosphere and then eagerly tries to build something ahead of God’s timing. When the atmosphere is charged with the presence of God, the fulfillment of the promises of God and the sense of a major move of God, the Lord said, eager anticipation which is rooted in fear of missing out; wanting to be the first; and ultimately anxiety; drives us to build ahead of God’s timing.

I can tell you from experience, I had many false starts in this journey the Lord has had me on. I would sense changes happening in the atmosphere, I would see others succeeding in God activity, I would hear sermons that say don’t just sit there do something, but the Lord was restraining me and I would get so frustrated, but it was because I was operating from eager anticipation not patient expectation.

Patient expectation waits in the wind for the timing of God to begin. It is learning restraint, despite feeling the pull of external circumstances. It is facing the fear of missing out head on and reminding yourself, God has a place for you in His plan for this move of God. Patient expectation is operating in wisdom; being confident in hope; having patience in the process; and is rooted in faith/trust in God.

The winds of change are blowing, the voice of God is speaking, the people of God are changing, so the desire to build ahead of God is like spending money before the first check comes. The Lord told me the manifestations of what’s coming are the final touches of the preperation phase that precedes the presentation of what God has planned. Exercise restraint we are on the cusp of something huge!