Reasons for Waiting - Lesson 2

http://raine-growthjournal.blogspot.com/2010/10/reasons-for-waiting.html
The wait has its OWN assignment

Our 2nd teacher - Naaman the Leper.
He was the captain of the army in Aram. Aram was allied with Israel at that time.
Naaman had leprosy and couldn’t find any way to be healed. His wife had an Israelite servant and this servant suggested that he see Elisha, a prophet of the Israelites, for healing. So Naaman took ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold as gifts to see Elisha for healing.
Elisha asked Naaman to dip himself seven times in the Jordan River and he would then be healed. Naaman became furious because he wanted Elisha to heal him instantly instead. But the servants who went with Naaman asked Naaman if he would have climbed the mountain if Elisha said that was the way to be healed. And Naaman said yes. So the servants showed Naaman that dipping seven times in the Jordan River was a lot easier, and convinced him to follow Elisha’s instruction. So Naaman agreed and went to Jordan and dipped himself for seven “boring” times. And something must have happened during the wait while Naaman was dipping himself in the Jordan River seven times.

2. God uses the wait to REFINE our hearts.

“Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.” (2 Kin. 5:10)

Naaman might still have been grumbling when he dipped himself in the river the first and second times. But as he dipped himself further and got closer to the seventh time, his heart was being refined and humbled, and began to feel sorry for his earlier grumbling.
How many times have you experienced God putting you aside to wait? You might first grumble, but God will speak to you. Then your heart changes and you will just want to serve God regardless.

The scripture also said, “So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan … and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean.” (2 Kin. 5:14)
Naaman was healed after his heart had been refined. There are times in our life that seem so boring, and you get angry and cry out to God. But God will refine your hearts and you will learn to be still with the wait. You will be fine even if a raise has not come yet, a promotion at work has not happened, or a resolution has not occurred. Healing starts while your hearts are being refined like Naaman.

The heart change often comes first - then the healing begins.