In the midst of hardship, we might think God is slow in responding to our pleas for help. We cry out to Him in our need, but we don’t see Him immediately coming to our rescue. This can make us mad at God, discouraged that He is taking His time in helping us. God isn’t late, though. He is always on time. His timing is always perfect for what He is accomplishing in your life and in His kingdom. This message from Andy Stanley will help you find encouragement in the fact that even though God is waiting to answer, He knows the pain you are feeling, and He will intervene when the timing is right.

"When God Is Late" by Andy Stanley

Read
John 11:21-22

Pray
Jesus, thank You for showing up for me; I thought maybe You were late, but I’m beginning to see that You are never really late. Thank You for Your perfect timing.

Reflect
Even though God may be waiting right now, am I still trusting Him to show His glory in my difficult times?

Respond
Let go of your anger towards God; He has not forgotten about your pain. He is waiting for the right time to bring glory to His name.

It can be hard to wait on God. Especially when we are hanging on for dear life in the middle of a difficult situation. In our frustration, we might start blaming God or become angry at what seems like His lack of action on our behalf. Remember that these hard times are helping you grow. Without them you would not learn to depend on God. We would like to see deliverance before the fire, and sometimes He does that. But sometimes we must walk through the fire to experience God’s deliverance. The next post shares a story about how God can deliver His followers at any time—even in the midst of the fire.