Becoming Spiritually SuccessfulSample

"Trust what God has said"

On my wedding day I sat in my bridegroom’s chair awaiting the arrival of my bride. The wait became very long—not exactly what my bride and I planned for. My best man got anxious and whispered in my ears, “When is she coming?” I could hear the concern in his voice and the uneasiness in his face. I looked at the audience and saw everyone getting tired of waiting. The songs had been played over and over. The officiating minister, families, and friends were getting worried.

Every time the main door at the back opened, the audience turned their heads expecting to see the bride. Will she come? Is she coming? They murmured among themselves as frustration and doubt gripped some of the people. I’m sure some of them may have seen in movies and perhaps real life where brides disappointed their grooms. And maybe they were thinking this wedding might turn out to be one of those episodes. But I kept my cool. I knew she would keep her promise to me. She would not embarrass me.

Similarly, in our wait for the second coming of Jesus, there’s doubt. Some people think He has tarried too long and will not come. But if you believe His promises and trust in His faithfulness, then you wait with patience and confidence. In between a promise and the fulfillment of the promise is the unknown, but if you trust in the promise giver, you will not be discouraged by what happens in between. And that is what I did waiting for my bride, who finally arrived.

When Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, God appeared and promised Paul, “Be of good cheer, Paul; you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so must you bear witness also at Rome.”  From Jerusalem to Rome, there was a shipwreck, and everyone thought they wouldn’t survive, but Paul, who knew God’s promise that he had to be in Rome and testify for God, never got discouraged.

The ship got to Malta, and while trying to keep himself warm around a fire, he got bitten by a poisonous snake. Again, everyone was waiting for him to drop dead, but he shook off the snake. What God has said about him testifying in Rome must come to past before he was to die.

Trust what God has said about you, for since the beginning of creation, God has been faithful to His word, and He won’t start failing with you.