His Timing, His Plan
God's most common answers to prayer are yes, not yet, or not that way as I have a plan that is better for you.
“Rachel envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I will die.” God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her, and opened her womb. She conceived, bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach.”
Genesis 30:1, 22-23
For years Rachel was disappointed that she did not have children. Imagine how many days she must have felt sad or anxious. Did she need to feel that way? No! God had a plan and he blessed her with a child in His timing. Can you relate? Do you have any delayed answers to prayer or questions about when God will take away your worries?
“Sing praise to Yahweh, you saints of his. Give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment. His favor is for a lifetime...Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning...You have turned my mourning into dancing for me. You have removed my sackcloth, and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my heart may sing praise to you, and not be silent. Yahweh my God, I will give thanks to you forever!”
Psalms 30:4-5, 11-12
What would happen if we flipped the script on our emotions and started practicing gratitude for what God will do rather than dwell on what has not been done? How much more joy and peace could we experience? If you knew God would answer eventually would it not change how you feel today? David proclaims the truth of his own experiences. God has turned his mourning to dancing, his weeping to laughter, and his worry to worship.
“Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him...Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me"
Proverbs 30:5, 8, 15-16
True contentment in life does not coming from getting all that you want. Kingdom contentment comes from a heart that chooses to appreciate all that you have been given. What is the food that our soul needs? Jesus says He is the Bread of Life and He is the Living Water. Have you dined with and on King Jesus today?
“You will be saved in returning and rest. Your strength will be in quietness and in confidence...Therefore Yahweh will wait, that he may be gracious to you; and therefore he will be exalted, that he may have mercy on you, for Yahweh is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who wait for him.”
Isaiah 30:15, 18
Isaiah shares an insight that few treasure seekers find. The waiting is done for us not to us. Speaking for God, he says that delays are part of the process by which we receive God's grace and mercy. He says there is blessing in the waiting. Paul says that Love is patient. Is another way to understand that famous verse to see how God is patient since God is love?
“Four people came, carrying a paralytic to him. When they could not come near to him for the crowd, they removed the roof where he was. When they had broken it up, they let down the mat that the paralytic was lying on. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” “I tell you, arise, take up your mat, and go to your house.” He arose, and immediately took up the mat and went out in front of them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance...He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
Mark 2:3-5, 11-12, 17, 27,
Jesus teaches us to be bold like the friends who lowered the paralytic through a roof when He is near, seek Him when we need help, and recognize that we all need a time of waiting. We all need a Sabbath.
In American culture, working seven days a week, getting little rest, and continually striving for material success is celebrated. In the kingdom, Jesus teaches us that we wait upon the Lord and we need rest. What if instead of trying to cram more things into a busy seven day a week schedule we stopped and gave God thanks for all He has done? What if we used the day of rest to praise God for what He will do? Jesus praised the boldness of those who have faith and part of that faith is believing that He cares about you in each moment. How does that change how we think? He invites us to stay centered in peace, letting go of past regrets and futures worries, so that we can become people who love like him fully in the present moment knowing that He has a plan of blessing in His timing.