God promises to supply all of our needs (“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 NIV); God keeps all His promises: (“The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.” Psalms 145:13 NIV). And God is ALWAYS on time (“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Eccl. 3:11 NIV).
Have you ever noticed that although God is never late and although His solution always arrives — in its time, He’s also only rarely early?
This has become abundantly clear to me as I facilitate a grief recovery class for this, my 7th year. Scared to death to take on such a responsibility all alone, I nabbed a friend, and we ran it together for the first three years. Unfortunately she, along with the other two facilitators, were unable to continue after this, and since it is our church’s policy that there must be at least two facilitators for a small group, I was afraid this might be the end of a good thing.
God waited until 1 week before starting time for the next scheduled group to bring someone on. I knew the person and knew it wouldn’t work out. Nonetheless, it would allow the group to continue. The problem was, it was the largest group I’d ever had. How was I supposed to help all those people being, basically, alone?
The day the group started I got a call from a former grief facilitator. She wanted to know if she could accompany someone for just the first night, so he would feel more comfortable. I agreed, and God came through. He spoke to this person in the middle of the class and told her to help facilitate the group! Nope, He wasn’t late … But He certainly wasn’t early!
COVID hit at this point, and the next groups went on-line. This person helped out the first on-line session, but dropped out after class two of the second on-line session. I panicked again, but then learned that for an on-line group, the church didn’t require two facilitators. Again, God came through … at the last minute.
I did a total of three on-line groups alone, but as COVID regulations began to lift, there were plans to make the next group an in-person group. I needed another facilitator. I was beginning to learn my lesson this time, and I just gave the problem to God. Two and a half months went by with nothing. There were only two weeks left before the classes would begin when God came through. And since I was away at the time, by the time we got back there was barely enough time to get the new facilitator oriented. Nonetheless, God came through … at the last minute.
The next class went on-line again, due to a resurgence of COVID, so it was no problem when she opted out of the next group due to pregnancy. When I approached her about the current group, she was all excited to come back. We met, we planned, etc., and you can imagine my disappointment when she let me know … just two weeks before the group was scheduled to begin … that she couldn’t continue facilitating … Again I was stuck. I knew God would come through, but I already suspected it wouldn’t be until the last minute…
I mentioned to the pastor overseeing the group that I didn’t have a co-facilitator and asked him what I should do. He said he’d ask around. Seven days before we were to start, he told me he had a few people he would contact. By the end of that day, he had found someone who would commit to facilitating with me. We weren’t able to meet up for orientation until just three days before we would begin, but once again, God came through. At the last minute.
So why would God make me wait until the last minute each time?
Because He knows my propensity to need things all ironed out in advance. He knows that I tend to rely on having all the “t”s crossed and all the “i”s dotted. He wants to grow my faith. He wants to teach me that even if things aren’t all laid out for me in advance, He will still come through. God was using these situations to build my faith. And it worked. Yes, God promises to fulfill all our needs; but He doesn’t promise to do so in advance. He wants us to learn to trust Him, especially when we can’t see a solution.
One of the pastors at my church once gave a poignant illustration. He likened these waiting situations to parents waiting in line to go into a concert with their children. The parents have the tickets to enter in their pocket. The line, however, is long, and the kids get antsy and began to bug the parent about whether or not they have the tickets. In this illustration, God is the parent, we are the children. His promises for our provision in all situations are like the tickets in the parents’ pocket. The promised result is already there, but we don’t see it. And as we tire in the wait, we begin to doubt that God will actually do what He promises to do. We begin to doubt that He will provide. And so it is that we begin to worry and stress: “God, You promised to provide for my ______________ need, but you aren’t doing it! Aren’t You hearing my prayers? Don’t You keep Your promises? How come You’re not coming through for me???!!!” Meanwhile, the promised outcome is already in His pocket…
But why make us wait?
Because if He were to show us all the details of His planned provision, there would be no room for faith to grow! He wants us to believe in His love and His provision enough to not doubt even when we don’t see the response to our prayers. He wants us to believe that He is never late, He always comes through; and to do so, He is usually never early!
What are you asking God for?
Remember He has the solution already planned and will show it to you at just the right time. Also remember that this so-called “right” time may literally be “at the last minute”! Don’t doubt. Don’t fall into the bad habit of “bugging” God. Just believe that He will provide. The King James version records Eccl. 3:11a in this manner: “He hath made every thing beautiful in his time.” Remember: the right time is always His time. Believe! When you do, the wait will be a lot less stressful!
In His love,
Lyn
Lynona Gordon Chaffart
Moderator, Associate Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries
