3 points to ponder on God’s timing

Written by: Gawie de Lange
Article source: JOY! Magazine

Have you ever had one of those months where it feels like everything is falling apart? Trial after trial. I’ve just come through a month like that. From cancelled JOY! Travel trips (one was cancelled due to our MSC ship catching fire the day before we were supposed to board, and another was cancelled due to global wars and instability in the Middle East), it’s been one blow after another. I’ve spent a lot of time on my knees, pouring my heart out to the Father in prayer. And while I trust Him deeply, I’ll be honest, there are moments where I secretly wish He would just move faster. I often find myself wanting God to follow my timeline, not His.

God’s plan through Joseph’s pain
Take Joseph as an example. God gave Joseph a clear dream as a young man – he would rise to leadership and his family would bow before him. However, what followed was not a straight path to the palace. Instead, it was a long and painful detour: betrayed by his brothers, sold as a slave, falsely accused, and forgotten in prison.

God’s perfect delay
For 13 years, Joseph walked through valleys of confusion and injustice. Trial after trial, yet, through it all, he stayed faithful, obedient, and refused to compromise his integrity. And then, at exactly the right moment – when Egypt needed a man of wisdom and integrity – God elevated Joseph to the second-highest position in the land. The dream was never dead. It was just delayed for God’s perfect purpose. Here are three points to ponder when it feels like God is taking His time:

1. Delay is not denial
Just because it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean it won’t. God’s promises often come with following a process. “Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay” (Hab 2:3).

2. God works even when we can’t see it
While Joseph sat in prison, God was working behind the scenes, aligning people, preparing hearts, and setting the stage. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him…” (Rom 8:28).

3. Faithfulness in the waiting leads to fruitfulness in the reward
Joseph didn’t sulk or give up. He served diligently wherever he was, whether in Potiphar’s house or prison. His reward came because his heart remained pure. “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Gal 6:9).

God’s deliberate timing
God is never in a rush. His timing is deliberate, wise, and full of purpose. If Joseph had been released too early, he may have returned home or ended up in the wrong place. But at the appointed time, God lifted him up. Hold on. Trust the process. God’s timing is not just good, it’s perfect.

This article is featured in the August issue of JOY! Magazine. Read a digital version of this magazine here: joygifts.co.za

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Date published: 30/07/2025
Gawie de lange – general manager of JOY! Magazine. Email gawie@joymag.co.za
Feature image: Image for illustrative purposes only. Artwork from www.freepik.com

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