What to Do When the Vision Tarries
Habakkuk 2:3 (KJV)
“For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
Understanding the timing of your life’s vision is crucial for maintaining peace and patience. Every vision and purpose has its own season. No matter how much you strive to realize your vision prematurely, it will not come to fruition before its appointed time. Misunderstanding this can lead to frustration and even the demise of your dream. Faith plays a key role here, helping you trust in God’s timing and wait patiently for the fulfillment of your vision.
Think of fruit: no matter how eager you are, you cannot enjoy certain fruits out of season. You must wait for the appointed time. The verse from Habakkuk teaches us two important lessons:
1. Every vision is for an appointed time.
2. The vision may not manifest immediately, so we must wait for it.
Understanding these principles helps us reduce stress and trust God through seasons of waiting. Let’s explore two case studies to illustrate these points.
### Case Study 1: Joseph, the Son of Jacob
Joseph’s life is a powerful example of waiting for God’s timing. Early in his life, God revealed his purpose and destiny through dreams. However, Joseph faced a series of trials: being thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, and imprisoned. Despite these setbacks, he held onto his vision and remained faithful, refusing to corrupt himself along the way.
A critical lesson from Joseph’s story is his patience. He possessed the gift of interpreting dreams and the ability to dream prophetic dreams, yet he waited for God’s appointed time. This teaches us that our gifts, talents, and abilities do not always need improvement; sometimes, they simply require the right moment to be revealed.
Consider a seed of corn: it is complete in itself, needing nothing extra to become a whole plant. However, it must wait for the right environment to sprout, germinate, and grow. Similarly, Joseph lived his life day by day until the king called him to the palace. Had he attempted to reach the palace prematurely, he would have been rejected. This is why, despite your abilities and potential, you might feel unnoticed. Your gifts have their place and time for fulfillment.
The key during these waiting periods is to trust the Lord. Believe that He who began the good work by giving you your talents will bring them to fruition at the appointed time.
Just as Joseph waited for his moment, we must also trust that our visions will come to pass when the time is right. Remember, the vision will surely come—it will not delay. Trust in God’s perfect timing, and you will find peace in the waiting.
The second person is David. As a young boy, he was anointed to be king after Saul, yet more than ten years passed, and instead of ascending the throne, he became a homeless vagabond. It took the death of King Saul for David to finally emerge as the king of Israel. During this time, he endured many trials, as vividly described in the book of Psalms.
Before you lay complaints and murmur before God, remember that God knows what He’s doing. There is a process that culminates in fulfillment at the appointed time. The most important ingredient between the vision and its fulfillment is the waiting period.
If we fail to wait, like a butterfly that emerges too early from its cocoon, we risk sinking into oblivion. The butterfly becomes beautiful because it waits through the process. You too must go through the process patiently to emerge as your best self.
Isaiah 40:30-31 (KJV) says: “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Waiting upon the Lord is the secret to fulfilling one’s life vision.
