When Best-Laid Plans Unravel: How to Handle Delayed Plans
In today’s episode, we dive into the challenging concept of waiting and trusting God with delayed plans.
The idea of waiting and delayed plans is something most of us can relate to. We often want instant gratification and struggle with the concept of no forward motion.
the frustration of delayed plans
- I reflect on my own experiences with frustrating delays or “in-between” times, such as waiting for a thriving marriage, a positive pregnancy test, or the realization of a dream. And like Sarah, I try to manipulate a lesser plan since God seems to be taking too long.
God’s faithfulness through delayed plans
- We look closer at God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:2, promising to make him a great nation.
- It took 196 chapters, 312 pages, and 650 years for this promise to come to fruition. A wide variety of events and actions transpired during those 650 years, as God’s people teetered between submission and revolt, victories and defeats, but the only constant was the faithfulness of God.
hope in the waiting
- I discuss the connection between hope and waiting, using the Old Testament’s use of the Hebrew word for hope (yachal), often translated as wait.
- We don’t wait with wishful thinking but with confidence in God’s unfailing promises.
- That’s easier said than done and raises the question of what trust looks like in daily life amidst unrealized hopes.
Abraham’s strategy
- Hebrews 11 reveals Abraham’s strategy for maintaining hope while waiting for God’s promise. He did the next right thing, lived in tents, and continued in daily obedience while looking ahead to the eternal conclusion.
Delayed Plans vs God’s timeline
- Proverbs 16:9 tells us that while we may plan our course, the Lord determines our steps.
- I’m learning to make flexible plans and surrender them to God, as His plans produce lasting fruit.
- Psalm 31:15 says, “My times are in your hands.”
- This verse encapsulates all moments in our lives, whether good, bad, or in-between.
- We don’t have control over time but can choose to trust God with our timeline, moment by moment, while doing the next right thing with hope.
Hoping inevitably involves waiting, but it also means believing in God’s promises, even when our plans are delayed. His timing is perfect.
Want to read or hear more on this topic? Check out the links below:
