Not Self Made: The Hidden Cost of Kingdom Readiness
- Grayson "The Real GM" Marshall
- Jan 28
- 4 min read
In the Kingdom of God, calling often comes early, but release is appointed, and the space between the two is where servants are made. You pray, prepare, serve, and stay faithful, yet doors seem slow to open. In this season, many begin to question themselves: Did I miss God? Am I behind? Should I push harder?
From a biblical perspective, this season is not a mistake. It is not spiritual failure, and it is certainly not abandonment. Waiting is not God withholding; it is God working. In the Kingdom, seasons are not controlled by human effort, strategy, or urgency. They are governed by divine wisdom and timing. The servant-made life accepts this truth: we do not manufacture seasons; we submit to them.
Waiting Is a Kingdom Pattern, Not an Exception
Scripture shows us that waiting is not reserved for the unfaithful; it is often assigned to the chosen. Abraham carried a promise for decades before Isaac arrived (Genesis 12–21). David was anointed king yet returned to obscurity, rejection, and danger before the crown (1 Samuel 16–2 Samuel 5). Even Jesus, the Son of God, waited thirty years before stepping into public ministry (Luke 3:23).
Waiting feels confusing because the calling is clear, but the timing is not. You may feel ready while heaven says not yet. You may see others move faster while you remain hidden.
Yet Scripture reminds us, “Though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry” (Habakkuk 2:3). What feels late to us is never late to God.
The Waiting Season Is Not a Wilderness, It Is a Bootcamp
Many treat waiting as a wilderness of loss, but biblically, it is a place of formation. Joseph’s prison shaped his leadership, discernment, and resilience before the palace (Genesis 37–41). Moses’ years in Midian dismantled pride and built humility before God trusted him with a nation (Exodus 2–3). Israel’s wilderness journey was not about distance; it was about dependence (Deuteronomy 8:2).
You may feel overlooked, underutilized, or stretched beyond comfort. Your talent may be real but still raw, your vision clear but your capacity incomplete. That discomfort is often evidence of training, not delay. God is not wasting time; He is building strength that can carry weight.
Why God Allows Waiting
1. The promise is bigger than current capacity What God intends to release could overwhelm the present version of you. New wine requires new wineskins (Luke 5:37). God expands inner capacity before He increases responsibility.
2. Your gift requires further development Calling can be clear while skill is still forming. David learned worship, leadership, and warfare in hidden places before public victory. Excellence is often shaped in obscurity (Proverbs 22:29).
3. Character must sustain the calling Gifts open doors, but character keeps them open. Saul rose quickly but fell through impatience and partial obedience (1 Samuel 13). God delays release to form humility and obedience.
4. Others are being prepared in parallel Your season may be connected to helpers, systems, or environments God is also forming. Esther’s rise was connected to Mordecai’s positioning (Esther 4). Alignment often happens unseen.
5. God is teaching dependence, not control Waiting dismantles self-reliance and forms trust. “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6).
Servant-Made, Not Self-Made
The Kingdom does not reward self-made ambition; it reveals servant-made vessels. Jesus modeled this posture:
“Though He was Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). Waiting forms submission, patience, and trust.
Those who rush ahead using their own understanding often outrun grace. Effort may create momentum, but only God establishes legacy. “Promotion comes neither from the east nor the west… but God is the Judge” (Psalm 75:6–7).
Waiting Is Not Delay, It Is Divine Alignment
Waiting does not mean God has forgotten you. It means He is arranging timing, people, and purpose.
“To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
“Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31). Waiting does not drain the servant; it deepens them.
What To Do While Waiting
Waiting is active stewardship, not passive survival.
Remain faithful in small assignments. Excellence in obscurity prepares you for responsibility in visibility (Luke 16:10).
Develop skill, wisdom, and discipline. Read, learn, practice, and grow (Proverbs 1:5).
Guard your heart. Resist comparison, bitterness, and impatience (Proverbs 4:23).
Stay planted. Fruit grows best where roots are deep (Psalm 92:13).
Remember the promise. God’s word does not expire; it matures (Romans 4:20–21).
David strengthened himself in the Lord before the throne appeared (1 Samuel 30:6). Joseph served faithfully before promotion found him (Genesis 39). Jesus submitted before heaven affirmed Him publicly.
The Way Forward: Remaining Rooted While God Sets the Season
The servant-made life understands this truth: we do not control seasons; God does. Our role is not to force outcomes but to remain rooted, faithful, and aligned. Growth in the Kingdom is organic, not engineered.
Do not despise your waiting. Heaven is shaping you for sustainability, not speed; for depth, not display. This is not about being self-made; it is about being servant-made.
When the season shifts, you will not only be ready. You will be trusted.
Comments