Struggling With God's Timing -

Do you ever feel like the more you pray, the less you see? Maybe you’ve been asking God to help you with one particular issue and if He were to answer it right now- a lot of your problems and the stress they cause would fade away. God’s timing does not always match our desired timelines. As a result, you might have been beating yourself up because in your mind, there must be a reason He isn’t answering you and the only plausible explanation is you’ve done something wrong. But If He were to answer it, then you could finally have peace allowing you to bask in comfort- right?

That is until another problem arises and you find yourself back in the same place, doubting God and measuring the amount of peace and joy you have based on the things or people around you. Friends, God may be delaying our desired “answers” because He wants to rewire where we find our peace.

I must be the problem

If things are not running smoothly, you may be thinking you are the one to blame. That there must be something you have (or haven’t done) for God to not answer you or seem silent in your time of need. Friends, I want to encourage you that God is not after what you you can do for him. Actually, that could be a process He has you in right now. The process of unlearning the idea you have to work for God’s love. By that I mean unlearning the thought pattern of good behavior equals a reward and making a mistake equals a punishment.

When we stay in the mindset of working to earn God’s love we miss out on the wonderful grace God wants to pour onto us. And that’s not a life He intends for us to live. Something comforting to cling on to is knowing that God will finish what He has started in you. I like what Pastor Craig Groeschel said,

“If it’s not God’s timing, you can’t make it happen. When the time is right, you can’t stop it.”
Craig Groeschel

You see, you are not the problem. You can neither speed up or prevent what God plans to do.

God’s Promise to You

Our God is a God of love and patience. Friends, do not mistake God’s silence for punishment. He loves you more than you could ever comprehend. Not only does He love you, but He wants the absolute best for you. Sometimes I have to pull out this scripture and read it over myself in times of doubt:

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11

Having a deep faith in the Lord often requires being in uncomfortable situations. You may be in a situation where you are asking God for a career, finances, spouse, or even an answer to a health issue. I may not know what you are asking God for, but He may be teaching you to depend less on what you can do and more on what He can do.

SUrrender Your Need to Control

By changing your mindset, you are breaking down old patterns of trying to get ahead by your works alone. It’s not our works that move us along, it’s the work of God through us– it is his grace. If you’re like me, you might pray about a situation and wait a couple minutes or hours before you take matters into your own hands to try and fix something.

I’ve learned that our willingness to surrender control allows us to see the amount of trust we have in God. We may trust God and be able to hand over certain areas of our lives, but there tends to be one area we are reluctant to hand over.

“Our willingness to surrender control allows us to see the amount of trust we have in God.”
Emilee Rachelle

Let me share something with you,

Being Uncomfortable leads to dependency on God

I was the type of person who had everything except my funeral planned out on Pinterest- that’s the level of control I required over my life. I wanted to predict the outcome of everything and planned far in advance for my days to come. For me control meant comfort, but then I had a situation happen where I couldn’t control what was happening and that was the first time I had to depend completely on God to see me to the other side.

That situation was beyond uncomfortable and I wanted nothing more than all of my questions and worries to be answered right then and there. But because they were not answered on my timeline, I had to depend on the truth- which is the living word of God to keep me comfort. My comfort could not come from something external, only something internal was able to sustain me.

Although at the time I couldn’t see God working on the situation or why He wouldn’t move faster to help me. I am now able to look back and see He was teaching me to trust him. As I’ve learned before, a relationship without trust will not stand the test of time. God wanted me to learn to trust him and rely on what He has told me, even if there is storm going on around me. God’s timing

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.”
Jeremiah 17:7

Friends, He may be looking for you to surrender your need to control over to him. By loosening your grip to workout this situation, you allow room for God to take over. Internal transformation is more of a priority than external comfort. When we’ve gone through an internal transformation we are rooted in truth and can remain standing when the wind is blowing all around us. We no longer require an external calmness to be okay- Because our ability to remain calm comes from within. God’s timing

Contentment

Remaining in a content state of mind doesn’t seem like a common practice in our society. Look at the fashion industry for example- trends are always changing and if you’re a trend follower odds are you’re having to redo your closet every season. Our society tends to operate in a “I need more” or “what’s next” mindset. We also live in a time where instant gratification is at a high. So when we go to God and our prayer isn’t answered immediately- we do not always know how to respond. Perhaps when God isn’t answering us- He’s inviting us to learn to live a life where we are content.

Happiness tends to depend on external forces where as contentment is more of a state of mind-it’s internal. I want to look at Paul in the book of Philippians. Paul is writing to the Philippians from prison. Specifically how to navigate hard times and live a life of contentment, even when we are suffering. He says,

Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live almost on nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:11-13

Paul was not just speaking out, he walked through what he was saying. Through imprisonment, beatings, and intense suffering- Paul is able to stay content. I can’t speak for him, but I can’t help but think he would have rather gone without some of those circumstances. YET he continues to preach the importance of contentment. The secret to getting through every situation is relying on God’s strength. I can’t remember the preacher who said this, but I wrote down, “If all God ever does for you is send his son, Jesus, on the cross to die for you, is that enough?” God’s timing

If all God ever does for you is send his son, Jesus, on the cross to die for you, is that enough?”
UNknown

God’s Delay Does Not Equal Denial

As you can see there there are many reasons that God may not be answering your prayer right away. It does not mean that you have made a mistake so He is punishing you. Nor does it mean He doesn’t care about you or is neglecting to hear you. God’s delay does not equal denial. Sometimes God is just taking you on a journey to repair and strengthen you internally so you can not only receive, but sustain whatever you are asking God for. We sometimes complicate it, but a simple reason you are not receiving what you are praying for is- it’s not the right time.

Anytime I go to my papa about something (usually God’s timing) He likes to tell me this,

“Emmi, God’s timing is not yours. There is no time in heaven. What feels like 1,000 days on earth could be 1 day in heaven. You have to have patience and keep believing.”
Papa

His advice isn’t too bad…😉

Next week we will be diving deeper into patience- 03/12/23 (make sure you scroll down to the bottom to sign up for our NEWSLETTER.)