To see the previous posts go here, here, and here. Or just scroll backwards. 🙂
How many times have you used or heard “God never showed up for me when I needed Him”?
I’m also pretty sure you have heard the true, but hackneyed phrase: “God is seldom early, but He’s never late.”
The story of Lazarus is one in which this whole issue of Jesus not showing up on time becomes a point of “contention” for both Martha and Mary. According to them Jesus reacted too late. John 11:46 is very clear: “So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.”
“Oh come on. Get real Jesus! Lazarus and his siblings were your friends! They gave you a place to be at home, to rest your weary body, to feed your empty stomach, to relax your aching spirit. And you diss them like this?” And that is the exact point of Offense #3:
#3- HE DOESN’T SHOW UP ON TIME
While Jesus tarries in Jerusalem, Lazarus gets sicker by the minute and eventually dies. Talk about being incensed! Go ahead and admit it though. Haven’t you felt that way before? I confess I have a time or two (or three or…).
That loved one you have been praying for years to come to Christ.
That sickness you have been praying for healing from.
That addiction you have screamed out for help with.
The financial freedom you have been praying for, pinching your pennies to make ends meet.
The loved one might even die before a decision is made. The sickness sticks around for years and years, maybe even being a cause of death. The addiction chains you down and won’t set you free. You continue struggling even though you are trying to be a good steward.
There are more examples, of course. Frankly, I get tired of waiting sometimes. Waiting on God can be a taxing exercise. It can be maddening. It can even be downright cruel (or seem that way). Waiting on God can be offensive. It is compounded because…here it is…
GOD. IS. NOT. WORKING. ACCORDING. TO. OUR. TIME. TABLE!!!!
God demands our all. He has also promised suffering and difficulty. Only those who are looking for “a better life now” or “today is Friday” will miss out on God’s refining process. We cannot dismiss the fact that God’s ways are beyond ours. He doesn’t always show us what He is doing, nor does He have to. What He has promised is His grace is sufficient. His clock is always on time; it just ticks differently than ours.
Consider this quote by Tozer:
The worth of any journey can always be measured by the difficulties encountered along the way.
Frank concludes his thoughts by saying, “Jesus Christ is full of surprises. So much so that if Jesus isn’t surprising you, then you’ve probably stopped growing in Him.” (p.120)
How have you struggled with this offense? How do you deal with the waiting game?
Bill, there are often times I want him to show up now, but He comes later. I have to relearn that over and over.
Join the club.
Sometimes this whole notion of God’s inaction sucks the life out of me. Often I think that he is waiting to act or jump in because he wants me to learn some lesson first or master some particular thing. However, if I don’t know what he wants me to learn or to master, how can I make any progress? One of my common mantras is that I think often that God is waaaaaaay too subtle.
It is hard to accept sometimes for sure. I have to admit I have often wished God would be far less subtle.
To borrow & adapt a quote from one of my favorite movies, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, “God is never late. Nor is He early. He arrives precisely when He means to.” I think of God’s timing every time I watch this part of the movie.
I had forgotten that quote Kari. That is excellent! Thanks.
I’m constantly being surprised by God…every time He doesn’t fit into my box (or any box) … it’s a big surprise! 50 years of following Him and I’m still being awestruck by a God whose timing is not my own but perfect never the less.
I have to wonder if that is exactly what God wants-things to be a surprise. I concur with your last sentence Jay (only I think I have a year or two on you). 🙂
I lost my firstborn daughter at birth. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t offended and angry with God off and on for a period of time after that. But I learned more about the nature of God from that loss than anything else in my life.
Anger is to be expected on something like that Dan. But you have learned and that is fantastic.
Patience is not my strong suit. I’ll be the first to admit I don’t like to wait for anything, including God I’m afraid. In my quest to fulfill my earthly desire and will I’ve ran – no sprinted, ahead of God and out from underneath the hand of His shadow and protection… That’s the place where you get burned and beat up… and learn the wisdom that escapes a madman and a fool… Waiting on God is difficult, but saves us from much worse than when we don’t. To be honest, I could use this reminder everyday… Thanks, Bill.
not one of mine either Floyd. I am much more now than I used to be, but it still is hard sometimes to wait. Like you, I need reminded from time to time. Thanks.
God is not working according to our time table…..I was just explaining this to Caleb, as he prepares to find his way now that he’s out of college. Many times I have wondered why God hasn’t healed my Aunt Kathy of this failing liver disease, she needs a transplant, but again, I remind myself, He knows what the purpose of this long suffering illness is about, I have wondered why can’t I just be happy & not battle depression day after day? I don’t blame God for that as much as I do myself & satan…..when I do feel the battle coming on, I try to get into the word, sometimes not always easy. I do tend to get a little “irriated” with God when I continue to pray for salvation for 3 of the boys and it just doesn’t happen. Is that offensive to me? I never thought of it like that, more like, how long is this going to take God? Good post.
P.S. I am learning to be more patient with the “waiting game”….again, I think this comes back to my spiritual growth. I see in 21 year old Caleb, his patience is very limited, why can’t God just do it now?? Trying to work on him with this. 🙂
The fact that God is not working in our timetable is key Jan. Caleb, as a 21 year old, just doesn’t grasp that since his age group says, “I want it and i want it now.” Wait…I was the same way. 🙂 Yeah, times haven’t changed. Oh, you also raise some valid issues in the questions we have for God. No one knows the answers to them. And we may never know. It is good to hear from you.
I’ve gotten better at the practice of patience the same way any of us do – trial *by* error. Once I thought I was important; now I *know* God is, and I wait on Him. Mostly. Now if only I could get better at waiting in traffic 🙂
Note to those who do not know the hinterlands of Minnesota: we have two stoplights in this town. The correct question is also the correct answer: what traffic? 🙂
Your line of trial by error is true. We learn by the difficulty we face. As for the town, we have three-one at the entrance, one in the middle and one at the end. That is so nobody drags down the mail street. J/k since it is a state road through the heart of town. 🙂
I really love this series! 🙂 It’s taken me awhile to learn how to wait, with hope yet and faith. And to not get into condemnation that things aren’t happening because I’ve done everything wrong. So maybe the longer we wait, the better we get at it! 🙂 Thanks and God bless you!
This is one of the toughest ones for me. I’m impatient and I want things when I want them. But again, it just gets back to trusting that he knows best. And sometimes that trust is exactly what I think he is going for me.
please pardon me being so crude but the refining process can really suck.