I Will Hasten My Work

Isaiah warned, “Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!” (Isaiah 5:18-19) Those who are telling the Lord to “make speed” and “hasten his work” in order to “see it" are clearly condemned here by Isaiah. So what is wrong with this attitude? The footnote in the 2 Nephi version of this second verse suggests that this is a warning to sign seekers. They want the Lord to show Himself so that they can see the sign and know. This seems to be the opposite behavior of “waiting upon the Lord” as Isaiah spoke of elsewhere: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31). We should not seek to hurry the Lord in His work so that we can have our desires fulfilled or testimonies confirmed with signs; rather, we should say with Isaiah: “And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him” (Isaiah 8:17).

                In our dispensation the Lord made this declaration: “Behold, I will hasten my work in its time” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:73). While this is similar language to that which was condemned by Isaiah, it is different in that this is the Lord’s declaration about what He would do. It is not us who will hasten His work—He will do it in His time, when He is ready. President Nelson said this recently: “This is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are His covenant people. The Lord declared that He would hasten His work in its time, and He is doing so at an ever-increasing pace. We are privileged to participate in His holy work.” He also commented, “For example, I know for sure that the Lord directs the affairs of His Church. He said, ‘I will show [you] that I am able to do mine own work.’ Often, my counselors and I have watched through tear-brimmed eyes as He has interceded in extremely challenging circumstances after we had done our best and could do no more. We do indeed stand all amazed. I also understand better now what He meant when He said, ‘Behold, I will hasten my work in its time.’ Over and over again I have rejoiced as He has directed and executed the hastening of His work—even during a global pandemic.” In 1990 he similarly declared, “Political changes have occurred recently in many countries. Previous restrictions of personal liberties have been relieved. The shell of spiritual confinement has been shattered. Swelling shouts of freedom fill the air. Surely the hand of the Lord is apparent. He said, ‘I will hasten my work in its time’, and that time of hastening is now.” We can trust that the Lord is doing His work and that the pace of it is increasing in our day. But, as Isaiah warned, we need not be rushed in seeking the Lord to show more signs or hasten our own blessings or do things on our time table. He will do His work in His time, and our job is to wait upon Him. While certainly hastening our own efforts to participate in His work and fulfill our own small responsibilities in His kingdom is a good thing, the outcomes depend on Him and we wait for His arm to be revealed when He is ready. As Isaiah declared, “Blessed are all they that wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18). So we wait upon Him and seek not for signs but only for His Spirit to guide us in His work in these latter days.