“To trust God is to trust His timing. To trust God is to trust His way.” Lysa TerKeurst from It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered

Prophet Jim Reilly began his ministry the day after God audibly spoke to him. Jim was 30 at the time and a drug dealer. 

He said, “I was delivered in a day.” 

I could listen all day long to “delivered in a day” stories. They offer hope just like Amazon (get it? delivered in a day) and stories about being swept off our feet by Prince Charming. However, “delivered in a day” stories actually happen because they’re not fairy tales and we’re not waiting for Prince Charming. 

God’s our prince and He can turn fairy tales into reality.   

Because He can do it for Jim, He can do it for us too. He can deliver us in a day from depression, family problems, anxiety, self-doubt, procrastination, fear, addiction, financial chaos, and the list goes on and on and on.

When a friend asked me about something she prayed for in my life, she said, “You believe God can do it, right?”

“I know He can, I just don’t know if He will,” I said. 

And that’s where my trust used to break down.  

So, why doesn’t He?  

“God loves me too much to answer my prayers at any other time than the right time and in any other way than the right way. In the quietness of all that doesn’t feel right, this truth does,” said Lysa TerKeurst in another quote from It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way. 

That’s a fine quote if your son’s home from rehab and healed or your marriage is restored or your loved one’s cured, but what if your ending isn’t happily ever after? 

The death of our pastor one year after his brain cancer diagnosis shook my faith to the core. Our church held healing services and prayer vigils, and we expected a miracle. Other minister friends expected the same. He and his family drove hours to a well-known healing ministry that also anticipated he’d be well and preaching again. 

None of us thought healing meant heaven, not so soon anyway, but that was God’s way and timing.

A lot’s happened since Chuck’s death, including God using last year’s quarantine to get me across the street to a preacher, a prophet, and people who’ve helped me live His way in His time. I recently said … 

• I’ll never question God’s timing again even if I don’t like waiting. 
• I’ll never question God’s goodness again even if I don’t like the way He did it.

My preference is still “delivered in a day,” but only if it’s His will ‘cause I can tell you stories about the mess my will’s gotten me into. 

Do you believe the best happens in His timing and in His way? If not, pray for proof because He wants us to know.   

In This Together,
Kim

Thanks for all the great free images, Pixabay.com.