The long game

https://odb.org/MY/2023/07/28/from-crucible-to-service-or-the-long-game

In this age of near instant gratification, the world sort of promotes quick success. Rather than save RM40,000 a year to have RM1 million in 25 years, some people aspire to be a millionaire before they turn 30. For those who graduate from college around 23, that’s only after 7 years of working.

Even in the church, this is sometimes carried over, with some expecting to achieve spiritual maturity and leadership after becoming a Christian or serving for only a few years. As there is somewhat a dearth of capable leaders in church, some churches promote their capable members quickly up the ranks, looking more at the externals, than for the heart that has already been tested and refined by God. Or, as another example, when we pray for something, we expect God to provide or answer us almost immediately.

The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness after God, using Moses, freed them from their bondage of slavery in Egypt, in part due to their insolence and unbelief but partly also because they were not ready to enter the Promised Land. Thus, the 40 years was the time used by God to raise a new generation that was mostly raised in the harsh conditions of the desert who were totally reliant on God daily for their sustenance and direction (manna, water source and the cloud/ball of fire). Even Moses spent 40 years working for his father in law Jethro as a shepherd in the mountains after fleeing Egypt before God called him to free the Israelites from Egypt.

In the faith, a quick rise to prominence, whether in terms of position or giftings or profile (right in front as a worship leader or preacher), may not be good as Christian life is a long game. A lot of things inside us take time to change. God with His infinite patience may take years to mould and transform us into a proper image of Christ. For example, humility takes time to cultivate. It’s a long walk to the end. Overcoming a few obstacles at the front, although good and admirable, is not everything as there are many more ahead in our journey of faith. We need perseverance, but more importantly, we need stamina to last the long haul. It’s surely not a 100m dash but a 10,000 km journey on foot!

One last point – certain things can only be done in the spiritual realm if we have had a genuine internal transformation. It could be having access to the spiritual dimension or God opening up the mysteries of the Kingdon to us. Granted, it’s a long game. But I think we will be more effective if we are quicker in allowing God to transform us as then we will have more time to do more effective things for Him. If we are only changed in our 70s, we will have less strength and not much time left to do those things for Christ.