Delayed deliverance

Delayed deliverance, displays deprivation, develops character, and demands dependence

June 2

Sometimes the hardest thing is waiting, especially when we are waiting for someone we love to be delivered from something that has been holding them back from the fullness of Life God has for them. We pray and we wait. We pray and we wait. This is something I have learned; delayed deliverance, displays deprivation, develops character, and demands dependence. For the next three days, I am going to talk about what God has shown me for each one.

When we are waiting for deliverance for ourselves or someone else, God is still at work, and sometimes the best work is done during those times of waiting. When It feels like God is not moving, or He is delaying deliverance, pay attention. What you will see is that delayed deliverance displays deprivation. The sinfulness of our lives, and the people we love. It puts on display our great need for Him! The brokenness of this world is on display and we can no longer ignore it. People’s brokenness rubs up against our brokenness and it hurts. It is easy to see the brokenness of others, but we need to get the log out of our own eye before we can help anyone else. Our response to their brokenness reveals what is truly going on inside our own hearts; fear, anger, lack of faith, just to name a few. God will not make us surrender to Him. He will not force us to lay down our struggles and our desires. He wants what is best for us, so he waits until we can see it. He waits until we recognize the problem and turn to Him for help and the way to life.

When God convicts us, we have the opportunity to be truly repentant. It is here that God can start the healing process. Too often when I try to open someone's eyes to see the brokenness in them, to them it feels like condemnation. I am not the Holy Spirit. It is not my job. My intentions are for good, but when I try to do it, I only bring pain. God brings restoration and freedom. When that happens we see what God is doing, others see what God is doing and God is glorified. My heavenly Father keeps bringing me back to

Isaiah 30:15 In returning and rest I shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be my strength.

When I return to Him and repent, when I am vulnerable and ask Him to search my heart so I may know any wicked way in me, and I rest in His love, I am saved. I have peace beyond understanding. My life is a little more whole.

When I am quiet and trust him with my life and the people I love, when I trust the outcome of the situations I face, I feel powerful. I am free to simply love and not try to fix. That is strength.