How should we respond when God's timing doesn't match our expectations? Wrestling with Delay: Moses’ Honest Question (Exodus 5:22) “So Moses returned to the LORD and said, ‘Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Why is it You have sent me?’” • Moses expected immediate deliverance; instead, Pharaoh increased Israel’s burdens. • God had already promised success (Exodus 3:19-20), yet His first visible move looked like failure. • The verse models raw honesty: Moses brings confusion straight to God instead of hiding it. What Scripture Teaches about God’s Timing • God’s schedule, not ours – “For everything there is an appointed time…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). – “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years…” (2 Peter 3:8-9). • Delay never equals indifference – “Though it lingers, wait for it; it will surely come and will not delay.” (Habakkuk 2:3). – Jesus delayed two days before raising Lazarus so that “you may believe” (John 11:6-15). • Waiting seasons refine faith – “Those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength.” (Isaiah 40:31). – “Consider it pure joy… the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1:2-3). Healthy Heart Responses While We Wait • Remember God’s character – Good (Psalm 119:68), sovereign (Daniel 4:35), faithful (Lamentations 3:22-23). • Pour out honest lament, then reaffirm trust – Psalm 13 shows both protest and praise. • Keep obeying the last clear instruction – Moses returns to Pharaoh again (Exodus 6:11). • Recall past deliverances – “I will remember the deeds of the LORD.” (Psalm 77:11). • Encourage one another – “Spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:24). • Guard against shortcuts – Saul’s premature sacrifice cost him the kingdom (1 Samuel 13:8-14). Practical Actions for the Waiting Season • Start each day in Scripture; let truth drown out timelines. • Journal specific promises you’re clinging to; date them. • Serve others—waiting doesn’t cancel ministry (Philippians 2:4). • Speak gratitude aloud for small evidences of God’s care. • Set up “Ebenezers” (visual reminders) of answered prayers. • Fast periodically to refocus desire on God, not outcomes. • Limit comparison; God’s plan for you is not identical to someone else’s. Promises to Anchor Our Hearts • “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it.” (Psalm 37:5). • “Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9). • “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord… establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (James 5:7-8). • “I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper you and not to harm you.” (Jeremiah 29:11). • “He who calls you is faithful, and He will certainly do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). When God’s timing clashes with ours, Scripture invites us to honest dialogue, steadfast obedience, and hopeful anticipation of the moment when His perfect plan unfolds. |
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