Divine Delays
By Bailey Crofford
Then the Lord answered me and said, ‘Write the vision and engrave it plainly on [clay] tablets so that the one who reads it will run. For the vision is yet for the appointed [future] time. It hurries toward the goal [of fulfillment]; it will not fail. Even though it delays, wait [patiently] for it, Because it will certainly come; it will not delay.
Habakkuk 2:2-3 (AMP)
When we receive something from the Lord—a vision, dream, or promise—we typically assume it’s for our current season of life and expect it to come to pass quickly. But as Habakkuk reminds us, there is often a delay between receiving what God has spoken and seeing its fulfillment. During that waiting period, we may view delays as setbacks, obstacles, or even rejection, causing us to question whether things are moving in the right direction. But God may be using those very delays to set us up for success, create opportunities, redirect our steps, and prepare us for His divine purposes.
However, in seasons of waiting, it is important not only to understand God’s purpose in the delays but also to recognize how Satan will try to hijack those delays to serve his own agenda, leading us off course in our walk with God. Divine delays from God are meant to prepare us for something greater and serve to align us with His perfect timing and will. In contrast, destructive delays from the enemy are designed to hinder or derail us from fulfilling God’s plan and purpose for our lives. Through these setbacks, Satan attempts to weaken our faith, causing us to lose sight of God’s promises.
God’s timing is always perfect. His delays are not denials, but purposeful pauses designed to align us with His divine plan. Knowing this, we must grow to understand His ways and discern the difference between divine delays and destructive ones. Let’s contrast how God uses delays with how Satan tries to exploit them.
- Divine delays prepare us; destructive delays detour us.
Until the time that his word [of prophecy regarding his brothers] came true, The word of the Lord tested and refined him.
Psalm 105:19 (AMP)
Divine delays occur when we’re not ready to receive what God has planned for us. He doesn’t want us to be unprepared or ill-equipped for what He’s called us to do, so He uses seasons of waiting to prepare us for what He has prepared for us. As a parent knows when their child is ready for new responsibilities, God knows when we’re truly prepared for the blessings He wants to bestow upon us.
Before Joseph could step into his destiny, he had to endure a season of preparation as God refined him. God’s delays for Joseph included being sold into slavery, unjust imprisonment, and years of waiting. But through it all, God was developing Joseph’s character, faith, and skills. At the time of his promotion, he was mature and equipped to handle the responsibility that came with the blessing.
Similarly, God’s delays prepare us for the next chapter. He sees the bigger picture and knows how to equip us for it. He will often fulfill His plans when we least expect it or when the promise seems distant and our circumstances feel like they will never change. Joseph thought he would be released from prison immediately, but ended up waiting two years before being released. While it may have seemed God had forgotten him, it was a divine setup for Joseph’s promotion.
Destructive delays are used by the enemy to get us off track and keep us from fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives. He often twists the truth in an effort to cause us to question God’s goodness and faithfulness.
In the first pages of Scripture, we read about how the serpent tells Eve that eating the forbidden fruit will make her wise like God. This was far from the truth, but the serpent deceived Eve into believing God was withholding from her and Adam—that there was something better to be obtained than what God had already given them. Adam and Eve’s disobedience didn’t bring greater wisdom—it brought sin and separation from God.
To avoid detours in our walk with God, it’s critical that we learn the difference between God’s delays and the enemy’s. Remember, divine delays are temporary and allow opportunity for growth, refinement, and transformation if we embrace them. Trust His timing. Trust His process. Waiting isn’t easy, but it’s worth it.
- Divine delays protect us; destructive delays seek to harm us.
You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.
Genesis 50:20 (NLT)
This verse highlights God’s sovereignty over our lives, including moments of redirection we don’t understand. God uses delays to guide us toward outcomes better than we could imagine while simultaneously protecting us. We must learn to embrace God’s perspective, trust Him, and surrender to His process, as He leads us along the safe path in His intended direction. Just as a GPS warns us of hazards and redirects us to safer routes, God guides us through delays in order to protect us from dangers we cannot see and keep us aligned with His purpose.
A shift in perspective allowed Joseph to reflect on everything he endured and see God’s hand in each situation. God promises to work all things together for His glory and our good, but we get to choose whether or not we stand firm on that promise. Joseph could’ve allowed the delays in his life to cause him to doubt God’s goodness and faithfulness, but instead, he chose trust and obedience. God used the delays in Joseph’s life to develop his character and to prepare him for the great things He had in store for him.
- Divine delays strengthen our faith; destructive delays foster unbelief.
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
James 1:3 (NLT)
When we encounter delays in any area of life—personal, professional, relational—they become opportunities to grow our faith. God uses these seasons to build our patience and strengthen our reliance on Him. Just as a gardener prunes plants to promote growth, God uses delays to cultivate and nurture our faith so that our lives produce godly fruit and endurance.
The story of Lazarus’s resurrection in John 11 illustrates how faith is cultivated through a significant delay.
Jesus intentionally delayed His arrival to Bethany after hearing about Lazarus’s sickness, causing confusion and grief for Lazarus’s family and friends. But here’s the thing: As Jesus confronted their doubts and fears, He used this painful and heartbreaking delay to strengthen their faith. This divine delay wasn’t a sign of neglect but an opportunity for deeper revelation of His glory!
Recall the story of Lazarus: His sisters said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21, ESV). Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40, ESV). Jesus had a greater plan. With one command, He called Lazarus back to life, showcasing His authority over life and death and demonstrating that His delays are never in vain.
Before Lazarus’s resurrection, Mary and Martha knew Jesus as Healer. After his resurrection, they knew Jesus as the one with ultimate power and authority over death and the grave. Their delays were an invitation to develop a deeper understanding of God. The sisters could’ve allowed their pain to push them away from their Savior, but instead, they allowed it to draw them closer to Him.
Consider your own life:
When you experience delays, how do you view them?
Do you struggle to see God’s goodness in the waiting, or do you trust that He has a purpose even when you cannot see it?
Friend, I pray that you rest in this truth: Delays are not setbacks—they’re setups for something far greater than we could ever come up with on our own. They prompt us to rely more fully on God’s promises and to believe in His ability to bring about resurrection in the middle of what seems hopeless and dead. God’s delays are driven by His loving-kindness as He desires to give us something greater than we could ever ask, think, or imagine, but we must choose faith even when we struggle to understand.
We can’t always understand God’s ways, but we can choose obedience to Him in the midst of our delays. When you find yourself in a season of waiting and you can’t trace the Father’s hand, trust His heart and trust His plan. He is always right on time.
‘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, NIV)
Scripture quotations marked (AMP) are taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP), Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org
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Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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