God, would you hurry up already!
Have you ever had that cross your mind? If you are breathing, you have wondered about the waiting room of God, or the delays of God. Though we can quote Isaiah 55:8, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD,” living it is quite another thing!
My husband Gaylon was a football player in high school and loves the game. He attended college hoping to become a math teacher and a football coach. During his time in college, God began to deal with Gaylon about a call to pastoral ministry. After prayer and confirmation and after two years of college, he made the decision to switch schools, which required a move from Alabama to Florida. In Florida, he would attend Southeastern University and begin his studies to become a pastor.
Southeastern informed Gaylon that he would only be able to transfer one year of his studies. This would add an extra year to get his degree. Ugh, what wasted time! What wasted money! He thought, “God, why couldn’t you just send me there to begin with? That would have saved me money and time.”
I also attended Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL, and was two years behind Gaylon. I did not know him the first year I was there, but met him the second year when he was a senior. Eventually, we began dating, got engaged and married the summer after his graduation. So, what is the big deal about this story? Well, the big deal is that if Gaylon had not been required to stay the extra year, we would never have met.
God could have easily made the path for Gaylon to be at Southeastern from the beginning, and allow him to graduate in four years. Instead, it was the longer path which would take five years. God had a divine appointment set up for Gaylon’s fifth year! Had he not been there in the fifth year, we would never have met! God had ordained our marriage and ministry together. In June of 2021, we will celebrate fifty years of marriage. I am so thankful for decades of marriage to this man. I am so thankful for the many years of ministry we have done together. I am so thankful for three sons and eight grandchildren. I am so thankful for the delay of God that brought this all about!
All of us who are walking the Christian life have had times when we have been perplexed by the delay, or seeming delay, of our heavenly Father. God, would You hurry up already! God is working during the delays of life. He is not neglecting us, but He is working for us! Delay does not mean that God has forsaken us. He hears our prayers, every one of them! Trust Him with the delays. Delay is always an opportunity for God to bring forth a bigger and better thing than that for which we asked.
“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).