Not All At Once

“Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.”  Exodus 23:30

Ever wonder why God doesn’t do something all at once? That’s the way we think things should occur—quickly, completely, and, preferably, right now.  

Since our salvation was an all-at-once accomplishment—an entire and absolute work done on the cross and defined by the triumphant declaration, ”It is finished,”— it seems like God would follow the same pattern when it comes to our sanctification.  But He does not.  Though our position of being completely His happened in an instant; our practice of living like it is a process. And God is good with that.  In fact, He often prefers the progressive to the immediate.  

Back in the day when the Israelites were heading from the land of bondage to the land of blessing, God gave them this promise—“I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites out of your way. But I will not drive them out in single year”(Ex 23:28-29).  Why not?  Why not get rid of all the enemies all at once?  Because that wouldn’t have been best. “I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you”(Ex 23:29).

 

Too much empty space too fast would have produced different dangers and difficult challenges, so God moved gradually to give His people room to grow.  ^“Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land”(Ex 23:30).

Maybe that’s why God is “moving slow” in your life.  Perhaps He’s growing your faith, increasing your love, or developing your self-control.  Sure, He could cause immediate change in your situation or circumstance, but His plan is to work in you, through you, and for you, and only He knows what pace is perfect. “Little by little” God will remove and refine until you can handle what He’s handing you.  

Make progress in the process and trust God’s timing.

Not all at once doesn’t mean not at all.