How can we encourage others to trust in God's timing and compassion? Key verse Psalm 90:13 — “Return, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on Your servants.” Grasping the heart of the plea • Moses voices the ache every believer feels in seasons of delay: “Lord, show up, and show mercy—soon!” • The request is rooted in confidence that God really will step in; the timing is His, but the arrival is certain. • Because Scripture is accurate and literal, we know this recorded cry isn’t just poetry; it is history and a model for our own appeals. Why we can trust God’s timing • He sees the whole timeline at once (2 Peter 3:8–9). – “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” • Every delay is purposeful, often for repentance, growth, or a wider reach of grace. • Nothing can derail His appointed moment (Ecclesiastes 3:1). • Waiting seasons refine faith (James 5:7–8). – Patience is pictured in the farmer who “waits for the precious fruit.” How we know His compassion is real • God’s character: “The LORD is gracious and compassionate” (Psalm 145:8–9). • New mercies rise with every sunrise (Lamentations 3:22–23). • He “longs to be gracious” and “rises to show…compassion” (Isaiah 30:18). • The cross settles the question forever—He gave His own Son; He will not withhold lesser mercies (Romans 8:32). Practical ways to encourage others while they wait 1. Share Scripture aloud – Read verses of assurance together: Psalm 90:13; Isaiah 30:18; 2 Peter 3:9. 2. Recall specific past deliverances – Keep a written list of answered prayers; review it when discouragement hits. 3. Speak truth against the clock – Remind one another: “God is never late, never early—always right on time.” 4. Serve while waiting – Channel restless energy into acts of mercy; compassion shown reinforces the compassion awaited. 5. Stay in community – Isolation magnifies doubt. Regular fellowship keeps hearts buoyant. 6. Celebrate small evidences of His kindness today – A provision, a kind word, an unexpected encouragement—all whisper, “He’s still working.” Living the lesson together • When a brother or sister sighs, “How long?” echo Psalm 90:13, then point to the promises that guarantee God’s return and relief. • Affirm out loud that His timeline is wiser than ours and His compassion is already active. • Keep sowing good seed, confident that “in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). |
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