“God’s Delays Are By His Design Not Our Own”

2 Peter 3:9

Delays is defined as to put off to a later time; defer; postpone. Design is defined as to prepare the preliminary sketch or the plans for a work to be executed; layout; arrangement. 

Waiting is especially difficult in light of the shortness of life. The older you get, the quicker life seems to fly by. Because life is so short, it’s difficult when the Lord makes us wait. Paul must have struggled as he remained in custody in Caesarea. God uses His delays to teach us to trust Him more fully and to submit more thoroughly to His lordship over our lives. God uses His delays to teach us to trust Him more fully and to submit more thoroughly to His lordship over our lives. Thank But now I go to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia are pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. For they were pleased to do this, and indeed they are indebted to the Jerusalem saints. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are obligated also to minister to them in material things. Therefore after I have completed this and have safely delivered this bounty to them, I will set out for Spain by way of you, and I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of Christ’s blessing. That was a godly agenda, but it was not God’s agenda, at least not in the way Paul envisioned it. He would eventually get to Rome, but not as quickly as he had hoped. Maybe he went on to Spain; we don’t know for sure. But while Paul sat in prison in Caesarea, he had to submit his agenda to God and trust God to work out His agenda in His time. There is nothing wrong with godly desires and hopes for the future. 

I come by tonight to let you know God’s delay are by His deigns not our own. After all the planning and goal-setting are done, we have to bow and say, Lord, not my will, but Your will be done with my life. I trust in Your agenda for me. When God delays, we must trust Him by doing right, even if we do not reach our goals. Be blessed and I love you!!! JE