And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights. – Exodus 24:18, King James Version (KJV)

A lot of times, we just don’t get what God wants us to get the first time around. So, He keeps pounding away until we learn what He wants us to learn.

In Exodus 24:18, the Bible tells us that Moses began the first of two 40 day and 40 night visits with The Lord on Mount Sinai. During this first visit, God gave Moses the Law. Also during this first visit, Exodus 32 tells us that the Israelites became weary of waiting for Moses (and God’s next instructions) to return from the Mount. Rather than being patient, they took matters into their own hands, making a god of their own – a golden calf – to devote themselves to. In response to their idol worship, God severely punished them, but after the punishment, what did God do? He repeated the process again. In Exodus 34:28, God called Moses to the mountain for another 40 day and 40 night visit, during which time He gave Moses the Law once more. This time around, the Israelites waited patiently for Moses’ return – and on The Lord whom Moses served.

Many, if not most, of the mistakes we make in life can be tied to our impatience regarding God’s plans. For example, Abraham and Sarah did not wait for God to give them the son He had promised. Esau’s impatience cost him his birthright. Saul made the offering without waiting for Samuel. And, of course, the Israelites made the golden calf because they weren’t willing to wait for God’s next set of instructions. In all of these cases, impatience led to horrible consequences, and impatience will lead to bad consequences for us, too.

There is nothing wrong with wanting God to hurry up, for desiring God to fulfill His perfect plan in your life is a holy desire. But, if you try to force God’s hand by taking matters into your own, rest assured that pain, not the joy of God’s blessings, will result from your impatience.