We have received so many promises from the Lord, haven’t we? David says that the Lord daily loads us with benefits (Psalms 68.19 NKJV). Most of us are waiting for the Lord to exalt us in due time (1 Peter 5. 6 NKJV). As interesting as it sounds, the exaltation or promotion in the kingdom of God is different from the earthly ones. In the kingdom of God, promotion is when we submit to the Father, and He takes preeminence in our life over our desires or what we think He wants to do through us. Since our walk with the Lord is from one degree of glory to another, even if we are in the well, Potiphar’s house, jail or Pharaoh’s palace, it is all a promotion as He never leaves us.

Our good Father does not keep things from us, but He lets us in on His plans. He called Abraham, saying, “I will make you a great nation.” He told Rebekah that the older shall serve the younger. Through dreams, He spoke to Joseph and showed him that his family would bow before him. Moses was called to lead Israel out of Egypt. He sent an angel to tell Gideon, saying that He would rescue Israelites from the hands of Midianites through him. He anointed David, the shepherd boy, as the king of Israel. 

Once we are affirmed of the promises of the Lord or His vision for our life, we not only want to partner with Him, but soon every circumstance looks like an opportunity to bring to pass the Word of God. And we want to help the Lord to fulfil His promises. We end up sleeping with Hagar, loving one son over the other, going around announcing to people what the Lord has spoken, killing Egyptians, etc. These actions and passions come from the so-called good place to accomplish the Word. But in the process, we are so focused on what we can do for the Kingdom that the promise-giver, the Father, takes the backseat. 

We may say if the Lord knows we will end up messing things, then He shouldn’t share the promises with us. But Jesus explains why the Lord reveals what He is doing.

John 15:11‭-‬ 15 MSG- “I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.”

Our Father treats us as members of His family. During our journey with the Lord, especially after we receive a promise, we struggle to separate our love for Him and our passion for what He can do through us. The preparation process, which follows every promise, is the period where the Lord teaches us that our relationship with Him is the greatest treasure. Our Father values us over things He can do through us. Recently, in a conversation with a dear friend, I learned something beautiful. She said, “In the vision that God has given us, He has already factored all the errors we would make.” He has already taken care of all the times we would hasten Him or end up helping Him because of our zeal. And as children, we need to understand that when we are struggling with the promises, our Father neither gives up on us nor He makes a plan B to bring His Word to pass. Instead, His plan A has already considered all these variables and has space for all the errors we will make. Therefore, He continues to embrace us in His love and walks patiently with us.
By hastening our growth, we delay our promises. There were many opportunities for David, the newly anointed King, to kill Saul. But he was able to wait on the Lord without being overwhelmed by the opportunities.  The relationship with the Lord mattered more than the promises, promotions or assignments for him. Know that vision is for an appointed time and will surely come (Habakkuk 2.2 NKJV). And the process of every promise is to teach us that Our Father can be trusted through it all.