Study Bible 200: It Takes Time
God explained through Moses that there were serious negative consequences when His people violated the covenant, but promised to restore their fortunes when they repented and returned:
"Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors" (Deuteronomy 30:9).
When we look at the promised benefits of obedience in this verse, we notice that there are no shortcuts to their promised prosperity. In other words, their prosperity would follow a natural process in that their livestock would mature, their crops would grow and in season produce fruit, their children would mature into adulthood, and their work would eventually bring a profit. Also, all the promised sources of blessing are creative expressions, whether it is giving birth to children or livestock, or the creativity required to establish the work of one's hands.
This contradicts some who promise that God will pour out sudden riches on those who give a certain amount in an offering at church or to a media ministry. The gullible fall for this ploy, acting like they are playing a spiritual slot machine that is ready to give them a big payout for a much smaller investment. However, the wisdom writer warned us, "An inheritance gained in a hurry at the beginning will not be blessed in the end" (Proverbs 20:21).
Earlier in Deuteronomy, we also read, "The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you" (Deuteronomy 7:22). God is not in a hurry to bestow His blessings, waiting instead until you are ready to receive and manage them.
Do you believe the Lord will prosper you, but have unrealistic expectations about how it will happen? Do you doubt your ability to create wealth so you try get-rich-quick schemes, especially when they sound spiritual? If you believe God will prosper you, are you preparing for it by learning to handle more?
It takes time to harvest the blessings of the Lord, so you should be looking for long-term increase and not short-term bonanzas. Spiritual success is not something you wait for, it's something you prepare for, so start today by equipping yourself to handle godly increase by whatever manner and according to whatever timetable God chooses to bring it.