The big question… How Long is a “Little While” (“un poquito” in Spanish)?
Jesus’ own disciples had this same question:
Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’ ?” They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying” (John 16:16-19 NKJV).
All that we do has a time stamp on it. From the time of birth until the time of death, our entire life is filled with keeping track of time, setting dates and making deadlines. Probably the most frustrating of all is knowing an important deadline project has arrived, but the project is unfinished! Standing in line seems to take an eternity especially when we are in a hurry! Then when someone thoughtlessly tells us, “Wait a little while,” we are understandably perturbed, and most likely, just like Jesus’ disciples, we just have to verbalize the big question: “How long is a little while?”
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials (1 Peter 1:6 NKJV).
When trials or times of suffering are pressing heavily upon us, it seems like the clock actually slows down (especially when we are staring at it).
An equally irritating phrase is “in due season”:
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not (Galatians 6:9 NKJV).
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time (1 Peter 5:6 NKJV).
Just when, exactly, is this “due time” anyway?
This paradoxical verse from Habakkuk is even more perplexing:
“For the vision is yet for an appointed time…
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come, it will not tarry (Habakkuk 2:3 NKJV).
“Though it tarries” and “It will not tarry” – two seemingly opposite phrases in the same breath!
Applying Habukkuk’s prophecy directly to the Second Coming of Christ, the writer of Hebrews makes this statement:
Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
‘For yet, a little while, and He that shall come will come,
and will not tarry.’
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him. (Hebrews 10:35-38 KJV)
Therefore, the first important key to this mystery is two-sided: Faith and Patience! It is not the deadline, timeline, dateline, outline, or any other kind of “line” that pleases God. It is faith that patiently perseveres with eyes fixed lovingly upon Jesus. This is the very focus of the chapter on faith:
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
A second important key is to remember “this one thing,” as Peter puts it:
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:8-9 NKJV).
It is impossible for us as hour-and-minute oriented beings to relate to a God who “inhabits eternity” (Isaiah 57:15). Eternity is a concept that can only be understood by faith. Using another irritatingly indefinite word – “a moment” – Paul puts it like this:
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
In other words, when we go through a difficult time, it can feel like an eternal weight when we look at the temporary things of this world around us. BUT, when we look at eternal things, the difficult times seem light and momentary!
I heard a very comical anecdote that describes the vast difference between man’s temporal, earth-bound mind-set and God’s eternal nature:
A young man once asked God how long a million years was to Him. God replied, “A million years to me is just like a second in your time.”
Then the young man asked God what a million dollars was to Him. God replied, “A million dollars to me is just like a single penny to you.”
Then the young man got his courage up and asked: “God, could I have one of Your pennies?”
“Certainly,” God smiled and replied, “in just a second.”
With faith and patience, and eyes lovingly fixed upon Jesus, we can face all the “moments,” “due seasons,” and “little whiles” that come our way. As the old hymn puts it:
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,
Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ;
One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,
So bravely run the race till we see Christ.
