When Victory is Delayed

I’m a fix-it kind of person. I see a problem, and I fix it.

It’s that easy. There is a solution to every problem. My job is to find it. And preferably without hurting anyone in the process.

So you can imagine my frustration with God when He doesn’t fix my problems the minute they rear their ugly heads.

“He must not care about me”, I conclude.

Or, “I must have been particularly bad this week”, I analyze.

Or how about this one: “My problem is too hard for Him to fix”, I tell myself.

I had an epiphany this week as I read a couple of verses in Exodus that I hadn’t thought about in a while. God had just finished making some promises to the people of Israel. In Exodus 24:20 He says: “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared.”

There it is: God makes a  promise. The land is theirs. The angel will guide them  to it. Easy does it. There is certainty and security to the promise. If only my life could be this easy.

Then come verses 29-30. You better sit down for this part.  Here’s what God says next:

“I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land.”

Say what?

Yeah, you heard it right the first time. Go back and read it again. God delays victory on purpose. He intentionally makes it hard for the people of Israel. Because it’s good for them.

Maybe God made a promise to you in the past. You grabbed on to it in faith. You got excited about it. You couldn’t wait to see it happen. But before you knew it you hit a wall. You still can’t understand how a God so big can’t fix the simple problems you’re facing. You can’t figure out what went wrong. You don’t know what to do next. Listen to the verses and hear this:

1. God delays victory because the enemy serves a purpose. The enemy took care of the wild beasts and kept the land from becoming desolate. What you can’t see as grace is grace personified.

2. God delays victory because the obstacles make you stronger. It takes time to develop muscles. It takes resistance to grow stronger. What you can’t see as being helpful is mercy exemplified.

3. God delays victory only for a season. Eventually, the people of Israel did get into the promised land. Eventually, the people of Israel did defeat their enemy. What you can’t see as ever coming to pass is going to happen sooner than you can imagine.

God can fix anything. He can fix anything anytime.

He just chooses not to do it right away – because of love.

Will you wait for Him in hope? Will you worship Him in love? Will you respond to Him in trust?

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