Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:4-5 NIV

 

Have you ever felt that a life of faith can feel like a rollercoaster ride?

Brian Hogan waited for years to move to the country of Mongolia to start a church. He described how it felt to be told that getting visas was impossible. Yet he stood in front of heavy iron embassy gates, asking God to make a way in, so he could follow God’s call. Suddenly, when it was God’s timing, everything fell into place so quickly that in the space of just a few weeks, he and his family had moved to a new country and were trying to figure out the logistics of their wild adventure!  God used the Hogans as part of the amazing movement that brought the gospel to Mongolia.[1]

Sometimes it seems like God is taking too long to answer our prayers or kickstart His plans for our lives. The waiting is drawn out much longer than we’d like! And then, suddenly, when God moves, everything starts to unfold so quickly that you’ve got to hang on for the ride! This is no coincidence.

God leads us in a way that creates dependency. Sometimes it seems too slow, and sometimes too fast. But dependence, humility, and intimacy grow under these conditions. In both sets of circumstances, we must trust and rely on God to help us.

Scripture says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:4-5 NIV).

This is good news for those following God’s ways. If you wait on God for His timing and His way, you can relax, because He’s responsible for the outcome.

[1] Hogan, Brian. “Iron Gates.” There’s a Sheep in my Bathtub: Birth of a Mongolian Church Planting Movement. Disciple Making Mentors, 2007, pp. 150.