But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9)
We frail humans lack a great many powers and perspectives that our Creator has. In our own strength, we cannot heal or resurrect one another. We cannot create massive universes with a word. We cannot walk on water or multiply bread or turn water into wine. And our perspective of time is extremely limited. In our day-to-day lives, it is likely that it is this limitation that causes the most frustration. Our entire day is based on time, schedules and waiting on what we want. Much of our mood is swayed by what has or has not yet come to pass.
Of all the things that he could write to encourage his brothers and sister in Christ, Peter chooses to remind us of our limited perspective on time. He wants us to know that as powerless as we are against the sands of time, there is One who is neither powerless or against time. Our heavenly Father uses time in our favor. When challenges seem to wane on for ages, it is because He has a purpose that is for our sanctification and His glory.
When we are struggling in a wait, whether it’s a wait for a spouse, a job, a pregnancy, or a healing, God is using our wait to mold us and make us more like Him. As Peter writes, when we think we are being forced to be patient with Him, the reality is that He is being patient with us as we mature in our faith. The Lord is never slow to answer His children. He always answers us in perfect timing. It is our impatience and lack of faith in Him that makes the time drag on. We don’t trust Him to do what is best for us so we get stuck living in a slow motion life full of anxiety, angst, and suffering.
Only The Lord knows what is best for us. I can choose to either trust in His timing or I can complain day in and day out about how long it’s taking for His timing to come about. More often than not, I choose to complain and I know for a fact that it makes my day seem even longer than the ones in which I focus on trusting the Lord.
Wow! What truth! When I read this I felt I had to share it with someone else. I needed this today. He’s always speaking right to my hearts cry. What a mighty God we serve. What patience He has, when I think I am being forced to be patient with Him, the reality is that He is being patient with me as I mature in my faith. The Lord is never slow to answer His children. He always answers in perfect timing. Thank You Lord for showing me and reminding me of this truth today. Amen!
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is 2 Peter 3:8-9
