Beloved in Christ, today’s message is one of encouragement and hope, a reminder that our lives are intricately woven into God’s perfect timing. We often feel frustrated when delays and obstacles slow us down, especially when we are eager to reach a goal or destination. However, it is crucial to understand that what we perceive as a delay may actually be God’s hand of protection shielding us from dangers we cannot yet see.

Key Scripture Reading: Psalm 91:1-4

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.’ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.”

From this passage, we are reminded that God is not only a guide in our journey but also a protector. His refuge and fortress are not just metaphors but active realities in our lives, shielding us from dangers we are unaware of.

1. Understanding Divine Delays
When God allows delays in our lives, they may feel frustrating, especially when we are certain we are on the right path. However, divine delays often serve a higher purpose. They can be God’s way of ensuring that the evil ahead passes before we arrive. Just like a shepherd who pauses to protect his flock from unseen predators, God sometimes holds us back to keep us safe.

In Exodus 13:17-18, when God led the Israelites out of Egypt, He took them on a longer route to avoid confrontation with their enemies, knowing that the shorter path would have resulted in war and discouragement for His people. This delay wasn’t a punishment; it was protection.

2. God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways
Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

We might not always understand why certain things take longer than we expect, but we must trust that God, in His infinite wisdom, knows what is best for us. Just as a parent withholds a dangerous object from a child, God withholds certain things from us until the right time or until the danger has passed.

3. Delays as a Form of Refinement
While we are waiting, God often uses these moments to refine us. Think of Joseph, who experienced a long period of delay before rising to the position of second in command in Egypt. His delay was filled with hardship and betrayal, but during that time, God was preparing him for greatness. In the end, it wasn’t just Joseph who was protected, but his entire family and the nation of Israel.

4. Trusting in God’s Plan for Our Lives
Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

God’s delays often require us to lean entirely on His understanding, rather than our own. There may be moments when we cannot see beyond the immediate frustration, but those are the moments when we must trust that God is guiding our path and keeping us from unseen dangers.

5. He Is a Good God
Lastly, always remember that God’s nature is one of goodness. Psalm 145:9 says, “The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made.” God’s delays are never meant to harm us, but to keep us safe, just as a parent would do for a beloved child.

Conclusion:
Brothers and sisters, we serve a good God who never allows anything to happen by chance. If you are in a season of delay, I encourage you today: do not be disheartened. What may seem like a delay or setback could be God’s way of protecting you from unseen danger or preparing you for a greater blessing ahead. Trust in His timing, for He is always faithful, always loving, and always working things together for your good.

Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the delays that You allow in our lives. Help us to trust in Your perfect timing, knowing that You see what we cannot see, and You know what we do not know. Strengthen our faith to wait patiently and with hope, understanding that Your delay is often Your divine protection. We place our lives in Your hands, trusting that Your plans for us are good, and that You will lead us to safety and fulfillment in Your perfect time. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

©️James Ola Emiola-Dakobiri FIIM,*
Founder and Chairman,
Suicide Prevention and Depression Support Foundation
✍🏽james@spdsfoundation.org
☎️773-344-6313

For more inspirational lecture series by the author, kindly visit www.spdsfoundation.org.