Choose to Believe – Part 2

By Greg Sanders

Believe Through the Process of Delay

Luke 8: 41 “And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. 43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.”

Jairus came to Jesus for help; but along their journey to Jairus house they got delayed. A lady seeking a temporary miracle hijacked their mission. And Jesus stops to address the lady. Why not just keep walking? She got what she needed. If I had been Jairus, I probably would have said, “if she has suffered for 12 years, another day won’t matter. Hurry to meet my daughter’s need!” I know that is shallow, but that is how I think at times.

Have you ever had to believe through a delay?
I have discovered you cannot rush the ancient of Days. Delays are hard even when you see good things happening. I have wrestled with this question: Is seeing God do miracles during your delay helpful or hurtful? See, I have lived through some delays. During delays God often works around you before He works in you. This working around you can build your faith. It reminds you to look what God can do. Look what He is doing. That can be helpful. But seeing God work around you can also build your doubts too. You begin to wonder, “Will He do it for me? Has He forgotten me?”

Remember that Delay is not denial. I want God to accomplish His work in an instant. But He does not always work like that.

1 Corinthians 15:36 says, “How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.”

In my own experience, the Lord has allowed some specific dreams and desires that I felt were from Him completely die. I had to have an internal funeral for those dreams in my mind. It has often been only after I have buried all hope, that life begins to spring up. I believe the Lord delayed some of those dreams so that when they finally took place I knew that He was in control. Delay is not always a sign that God is saying “no.” Sometimes it is His way of positioning you to receive His “yes.”

If you are in a place of waiting today, don’t allow your delay to steal your belief. Believe through the process of delay.

Today’s Challenge: Resolve to serve God and believe God through the delays of your life.

Blessings,

Greg