Trusting God’s Timeline When You’re in a Hurry

I trust God even though He doesn’t usually operate on my timeline or do things the way I’d like Him to. I wish I could say that I began trusting God like this the moment I gave my life to Christ, but I didn’t. Trust came with time as I saw God work in my life. As I witnessed God’s hand begin to work all things for good in my life, I came to believe that God does, in fact, know what He’s doing. So when things aren’t going my way, I now trust that God must have a better plan—a better way.

I think that’s why I decided not to send that letter. I figured God knew something I didn’t, and I was pretty sure that God’s way would turn out far better than my own.

I was hoping God would tell me what to do quickly, but He didn’t. I began praying the moment God told me not to send that letter, but God wasn’t answering. So once again, I had to wait, trusting that God would give me direction in His time. I didn’t really like to wait for God—I wanted God to answer my prayers right away—but I had learned to be OK with it. I had come to understand that there is purpose in our waiting.

Waiting seems like such a waste of time. But really, it’s not. When God makes us wait, He is moving. He is drawing us closer to Himself, showing us that we need Him, molding and shaping our hearts, preparing us in every way for the journey ahead. While we wait, God actively carves out the path He intends for us to take. He goes before us, working in the lives around us, softening hearts to give us favor, fighting unseen battles in the heavens—all so that our path may be unhindered and His will can prevail.

Waiting allows us to demonstrate our trust in God. It is not a waste of time. It is time well spent and an opportunity for us to actively and prayerfully wait on God, who is faithfully working all things according to His good will, for our good and His glory.

So yes, God doesn’t usually operate on my timeline, but I’m pretty sure that’s a good thing.

Excerpt from Letters from My Father’s Murderer: A Journey of Forgiveness by Laurie Coombs.