Finding God's Presence ~ When God Moves Slowly

by Nan Jones   @NanJonesAuthor

Guest Blogger, Martin Wiles @authormwiles

It's my pleasure to feature Martin Wiles once again on Morning Glory. We both have the honor of being part of the Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas' family. In this post, Martin is addressing that age-old frustration many of us have experienced when we think God isn't moving fast enough to meet our demands and desires and needs. Can I get a witness? Martin and I pray that you will be encouraged by the words of his heart and strengthened for the journey.

Welcome Martin!

 

God also told him that his descendants would live in a foreign country where they would be mistreated as slaves for four hundred years. Acts 7:6 NLT

“I got behind you today, and you were just poking along.”

I’m known as a slow driver. Actually, I don’t drive slowly; I merely drive the speed limit. I’ve been driving for 50 years, and I can proudly say I’ve never received a ticket—except once when a new set of oversize tires threw my speedometer off. Because I obey the law, my insurance company gives me a safe driver discount.

Not everyone appreciates my attention to the speed limit. One tail-rider who thought I was moving too slowly stuck his hand out of his window and rewarded me with a vulgar hand motion. But I’m like the tortoise. I normally arrive at the same time the speeding hares do.

God’s children in Israel thought He was moving too slowly. They had languished in Egyptian slavery serving a cruel taskmaster for 400 years. Hadn’t God promised them a Promised Land? What was taking so long? Generation after generation was dying? When was He going to speed up their deliverance? But at the right time—and at the right speed, God sent Moses, and he led them out of bondage.

I’ve been with the Israelites on more than one occasion, complaining that God was poking along. If you called me into the ministry, where’s the church You want me to pastor? If You’ve promised to supply my needs, why am I having to borrow money to pay this bill? If You want me to attend this writer’s conference to hone my skills, why did You let the car break down so I’d have to spend $300 on repairs?

 

God’s movement in our lives may appear slow, but He’s always right on time. If we could see the future and His entire plan for us, we wouldn’t think He was sluggish at all. But we can’t. We must simply trust He’s moving along at the speed He is for a good reason: perhaps to prepare us as He was Moses, maybe to give Himself time to orient world or local events, or maybe to bring someone else to where He needs them to be. 

We can know God’s mind, but we can’t always understand His speed. He never exceeds the limit, but neither does He ever go slower than necessary. Trust the speed with which God is moving you along. 

Prayer: Father, increase our faith so we’ll trust completely the speed You are moving.

A Tweetable to Encourage Others

Where is God when answered prayer is taking too long? Martin Wiles @authormwiles shares via @NanJonesAuthor (click to tweet)

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Meet Martin:

Martin Wiles is a "preacher's kid," author and speaker who understands the struggles believers face. He can be followed on Love Lines From God

(www.lovelinesfromgod.com) 

Dr. Wiles has been published in The Secret Place and Light From The Word, and is a regular contributor to Christian Devotions. He is also a regular columnist for the Common Ground Herald newspaper. Wiles has authored Morning By Morning, Morning Serenity and Grace Greater Than Sin. He and his wife Michelle reside in Greenwood, South Carolina. His most recent book, Grits & Grace & God, is available on Amazon.

Would you like to purchase Martin's delightful devotional, Grits & Grace & God? You will find it here on Amazon.