Designed Delay

“I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.” – Psalm 40:1-3 (NIV)

What do you notice about this verse? What jumped out at you?:

Have you ever been put in a situation where you had to wait? Whether you had to wait on a person, wait on a response or answer to something, wait on a season of your life to start/end, etc. I believe we have all experienced “waiting” in one way or another. But can we be honest, waiting can be very detestable! Why? Because we live in a society that pushes “instant gratification” and the thought of waiting seems like a “waste of time”.

But … what if we approached the “waiting” period differently? What if … instead of viewing it as a “waste of time”, we viewed it as “designed delay”. In other words, there is a “Godly purpose” within the “waiting period”. Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us that “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (NIV). God is the author of our story. He plans specific facets of our lives for certain dates, times, places, etc. all to serve the divine purpose He has for our lives. Most times, it’s not until we look back at the entire picture of our circumstances that we really begin to understand why God had us “waiting” to begin with. His “designed delay” is ALWAYS for our benefit and for the great plans He has for your future. All we have to do it trust Him in the process. Proverbs 3:5-6 urges us to “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight” (NIV). Trust God while you wait!

Reflect on the Following:

Listen to the song “Wait on You” by Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music and let it be a reminder to trust in God’s promises while you are in the “waiting period” of your circumstances.

Speak to the Lord and spend some time in prayer:

Father, thank you for your graciousness. We love you and trust in all your divine plans. Although we live in the day and age of “instant gratification”, Psalm 40:1-3 is a reminder to practice patience while we are in the waiting. Lord give us the strength to “be still” while we are in a delayed season. Help us not to rush the process and lean on our own understanding, but instead let us put all of our trust in You and You alone. In your mighty name we pray, Amen!