“But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake…” ~ 2 Peter 3:8-9
Waiting is an excruciating experience. No matter if you’re waiting for an appointment, waiting for a friend to arrive, waiting for test results, or waiting for your dream job—the waiting feels endless! I think there’s probably a profound reason for waiting, something intellectual that we can learn from the experience, but for my purposes today, I want to shed light on the outcome of our waiting—God’s timing.
The faith required to endure the anticipation of unanswered prayers or unmet desires can feel like a big ask sometimes. Not knowing when “God’s timing” will happen, and yet feeling ready to receive His blessings ASAP can be difficult. Yet, I cannot deny the faithfulness of God’s timing and the perfection of His promised provision. Even though God’s timing is often impossible to understand and usually frustrating to wait for, it truly does come at just the right moment.
“My way of getting to the other side of difficult circumstances isn’t the only way. God has a perfect path to a redeemed future.” ~ Lysa TerKeurst
God Cares
Once when I was teaching, I had the opportunity to lead a morning devotional for my colleagues. I wasn’t quite sure what to share, but I had recently discovered an inspiring lesson from Exodus, so I decided to share my insights.
*NOTE: Before you continue reading, I encourage you to read Exodus chapters 13 & 14 to understand the context of the verses I’ll be sharing. And who knows, maybe you’ll learn something new from your own reading, too.
I had been reading in the familiar chapters when the Israelite’s escape from Egypt and God parts the Red Sea. As I read through the story, I noticed an incredible fact that I had never realized before.
It says in Exodus 13:17-18, 21-22:
“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea…By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.”
The realization that "God did not lead the [Israelites] on the road through the Philistine country, though it was shorter…the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light" was unbelievable to me! Through these verses, I see the Lord’s faithfulness to the Israelites, and notice the level of care He has for them to take them in a different direction—even though it was longer—in order to bring them closer to the Promised Land. God also never left their side, always providing protection and guidance, day and night. This scripture proves to me that God’s way of doing things doesn’t always seem logical and it may take more time getting to the destination, but He is always looking out for our safety and future success.
Even in the waiting, God cares.
God Provides
As I continued reading, I got to the section where the Israelites cross the Red Sea.
In Exodus chapter 14 verses 11-14, 19, & 30 it says:
“[The Israelites] said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?... Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them…That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore.”
I believe these verses show the importance of faith, especially during uncertain circumstances. Even when situations look bleak and hopeless, when we wish we’d just never trekked into some unknown terror, we must cling to our faith in God’s promises and stop our complaining, because we never know what’s to come out of a challenging trial. Moses reminded the people that God would provide salvation for them, and they must not be afraid. In the midst of our adversities, we need to remember that the Lord will always fight for our good.
This scripture also reminds me that God is never absent. He is always there for us, guiding and protecting our every step as we strive to accomplish His plan for our lives. After the waters receded and the Israelites saw the Egyptians dead on the shore, I can’t imagine the look of astonishment on the Israelite’s faces as they visibly saw the Lord protecting their lives. Sometimes at the end of our trials, we can see instances of God’s faithfulness along the way—His protection, preparation, and wisdom—and understand that His way of delivering us was better than we had ever expected.
A Time for All Things
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
~ Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
As I think about the truth of God’s faithfulness and the goodness of His plans for our lives, I can’t help but wonder about the reality that things don’t always end in triumph. Sometimes we don’t see the blessings from God that we desperately crave. These circumstances are hard to process, the idea that there’s a time for everything in life, not just wholesome blessings. Yet, I choose to believe in the Lord’s faithfulness. He is a good God, and the promises in scripture should encourage us to believe in His sovereignty over every hardship we face. Even when we don’t get the answers we long for, we must have faith that the Lord is in control.
Even in the waiting, He will be faithful.
God Never Stops Working
“The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” ~ Psalm 32:8
When we set our hearts to walk in obedience to the Lord and trust that His promises will see us through, God will be faithful to lead, guide, advise, protect, and watch over our every step—that’s a promise from His lips to our hearts. No matter the valley, battles, defeats, or challenges we’ve experienced, we must believe that God has good planned for our lives, even if we don’t see it yet.
I think that as we practice relying on the Lord’s faithfulness and sovereignty, we develop a deeper faith that strengthens our testimonies and opens doors of healing for us to learn, grow, and thrive. As it says in John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” This means that as we place our hope and trust in the compassionate hands of our Savior, we relinquish control of our circumstances and rest assured in His favor, His timing, and His will to be done in our lives. When we surrender to the unknown, to the waiting, to the unanswered prayers, God will honor our faith. And that, my friends, is incredible.
Even in the waiting.
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