Delay Is Not Denial

By Martha Munizzi

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” —Jeremiah 29:11

Have you ever been in a season in your life that you absolutely loved? You loved it so much that you never considered the possibility that the season might end, and God would require you to transition to another place or assignment that He had for you. Maybe you finally found a job, a church or a friendship group that fulfilled you on a deep level, and now God is requiring you to lay it down and walk away.

Transitions like this are sometimes hard because you have to let go of one thing to take hold of the next. You have to let go of what’s comfortable and what’s familiar and safe, to go after all that God has for you.

God’s plan for you is very specific. The definition of the word plan is to “decide on and arrange in advance.” God’s plan has already been arranged and decided! He is a God who is strategic with the plan He has for your life. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

God’s plan for your life has been well thought out and prepared so that you can fulfill His destiny for your life and do good works! You have work to do. There is kingdom purpose waiting for you to fulfill.

God also has a plan to prosper you. The word prosper means to “flourish physically and grow strong and healthy.” God’s plan is for you to flourish, and for you to have a future and a hope. The word future means, “something that will happen in time.” In other words, it will happen! God’s plan for your life will manifest!

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Trusting God and taking a giant leap of faith into the unknown is scary. You will face fear and insecurities as you trust God in the waiting and learn to believe in the unseen. We hope for it, we believe for it, and we can’t see it yet, but it’s coming!

If you’re believing God for a promise that you’re still waiting on, start praising God that your answer is on the way. Praise and thanksgiving are verbalized faith. The truth is, thanking God after your prayer is answered is called gratitude, but thanking God before it happens, is called faith!

Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”

Don’t lose hope! It doesn’t matter how long you have to wait ...wait but don’t lose hope! I have learned through the process of waiting that delay is not denial! In fact, the longer the wait the greater the miracle! Don’t be discouraged in what you see now. Put your hope in the Lord and trust that He has a plan!