Why Is It Taking So Long?

Anyone who has ever traveled on a long trip with their kids have repeatedly heard this statement, “Are we there yet? How much longer?”  Sometimes as God’s kids, we ask Him the same questions.  We don’t understand why it’s taking so long to see His promises fulfilled in our lives.  We can’t see God’s Promise because we get so focused on our problem.  The pain of the present seems more real than the promise.

 Everyday day I have a choice – do I wake up with the problem or do I wake up with the promise?   If you are like me, sometimes when I’m lying in bed awake, I begin to think on my problems, I think about what could go wrong and what if, I think about what I would have done differently if I had  known back then what I know now.  And I feel myself slipping into the pit.  I have to start quoting scriptures to myself,…. like  I Know all things work together for good to those who love God (Rom. 8:28). 

 This morning I was reading these verses from the book of Exodus 13:17-18 (NKJV) – Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, “Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.”
¹⁸  So God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt.

 What stands out to me in this passage is the fact that God didn’t lead them through the shortest route but He preferred a path a little bit longer.  He lead them on a two year journey that should of taken only a few weeks.  There are reasons why God lead them the long way around.  I want to share some of these timeless truths: 

 1.  If God does not take you straight away to what He has promised for you, it’s only because HE LOVES YOU.  Time is not His main concern, YOU are His main concern!  

2.  The shortest route is not always the best route for it may bypass some of life’s greatest lessons.  God knew the Israelites needed time to get to know Him, to trust Him as their provider and protector.  

3.  Even though God has gotten you out of Egypt(the world), He needs time to get Egypt (the world) out of you.  These people had been in slavery and slavery had gotten into them. They thought like a slave, they had developed the mentality of the slave–fearful and just accepting of whatever comes along.  God was teaching them how to live with their new-found freedom. Because freedom is dangerously good, and slavery is a deceptive security.  God not only wanted them physically free from Egypt, but He knew they had to be spiritually liberated or they would return to a life of slavery.

4.  God did not want His children to even see their enemy (the Philistines) until they were able through Him to defeat them.  This is a principle, that if you can see your enemy, you can through God defeat that enemy.  If you are looking at an enemy in your life, then that is your proof that God says you are able to through Him, to crush that enemy under your feet (Rom.16:20).  

 Like Israel, I have opinions about what God should be doing, about the route we should be taking.  Like Israel, sometimes I complain and say stupid things and remain thick-skulled about lessons I should have already learned.  But even though I sometimes have to go the long way, God is leading the way and He chooses only the best for me.  The purpose is NEVER to short the promises.  The promises will come, for God has SPOKEN. 

The path of your life may not be exactly as you had planned it.  But I can tell you this, God still has plans for your life and they are good plans.  Look at God’s promise in Jeremiah: I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. ¹²  “When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. Jeremiah 29:11-12 (MSG)

GOD has plans for you, GOD has thoughts toward  YOU.  And being so, it is the BEST.  Stand up, walk on in faith, live in today, don’t worry for tomorrow. God will lead your life, not into just what you may expect, no.. to more that what you expect.  Don’t give up on whatever is godly.  Don’t give up praying for this.  Don’t look for the quickest route, look for Him.  See and trust in Him, have hope in Him.  Hope is the joyful anticipation of good.  Any area of our life that does not have hope is under the influence of a lie.  Your prayers have a long shelf life in heaven, they don’t go bad.    

 Psalm 27:13 (NKJV)
 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.

My Prayer: Father, I pray that everyone that reads this will be strengthened in their journey.  I pray that they will see Your goodness and not lose heart.  Amen.