Trusting God’s Timing Through Delays and Detours: A Biblical Perspective

In every person’s life, there will  be uncomfortable seasons of waiting. I personally know the sting. There are times where I wondered if God was a "sadist" or a "mafia boss" who somehow was happy seeing my predicament. 

I detested, for a season, catching wind of the song: He’s a good good father by Chris Tomlin. However, as a growing christian I had to understand that God is sovereign and He does not owe any human being. He is the potter and we are the clay. His love for us does not mean he is desperate or weak. In this article, we will look at Job, Joseph and Esther as characters that had to wait on God’s timing.

In the time of Job’s suffering, he wished that God and him would have a duel. A verbal duel not a physical one. That he would face God and question him, for all the suffering he had experienced. Job 13:3 ESV[3]  But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God.

Maybe it was because according to him, he had ticked all the boxes in terms of being a Christian, even before the term Christianity was known to him. He must have felt betrayed and bitter. However, he had to wait out the season of pain and be nimble enough to let go and pray for his friends.

Do you sometimes wish you could question God face to face? Would you be able to stand in His presence and make your complaint? On this side of heaven, there are things we may never understand. Sometimes no matter how much you fight, how much you pray and even take things by force in the spiritual realm, you simply cannot control the hands of time or determine your outcomes. 

Joseph is also another character who had to face this challenge. In this world, you will have trouble but take heart, I have overcome the world. He was betrayed by his own brothers. They threw him into a dry well hoping in time he would simply die together with his dreams. What amazes me is that they sat down to share a meal while Joseph was in the pit. 

Genesis 37:24-25 ESV[24] And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. [25] Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 

When some merchants happened to pass by, one of the brothers suggested that he be sold as a slave instead and the others agreed. Although he did end up a slave, God was with him. Things  seemed to be going well and he was appointed as overseer in Potiphar’s house, another situation happened.

Having failed at an attempt to lure him to sin, fabricated a lie that he had tried to rape her and he ended up in prison. In prison, Joseph could have wallowed in self pity and rage at the unfair things that had happened in his life. Instead he was ready to even be a leader in prison when called upon. A leadership position that was nowhere related to the dream he had where stars would be bowing before him. 

Genesis 40:6-7 ESV[6] When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. [7] So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why are your faces downcast today?” 

He even noticed that two prisoners were sad and from there gave them the meaning of their dreams. He cared about others in an unfair situation. This gift is what eventually got him out of prison when one of the men whose dream he interpreted, the cupbearer commended him to Pharaoh.

Genesis 41:12-13 ESV[12] A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. [13] And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.”

Esther is often portrayed as a Bible character who had it easy, but in reality, her journey was anything but simple. For a whole year, she had to undergo beauty treatments and lessons, all in preparation for an unpredictable king whose favor determined her future. 

She was separated from her beloved uncle Mordecai, the only family she had, and placed in an environment filled with other women who were probably more impressive physically but they lacked one secret ingredient, favour. 

A year may not seem long at first, but imagine the uncertainty she must have felt—waiting, not knowing what would happen next, and having no control over her destiny. She had to trust God’s plan even when everything around her was out of her hands. And when the time finally came for her to take a stand, she risked her life, stepping into the king’s presence with nothing but faith. Esther’s story isn’t just about favour and royalty; it’s about endurance, courage, and waiting on God’s perfect timing, even when the waiting feels unbearable.  

Nobody has a safety net against the challenges of life. As a youth in Kenya, I know this first hand. Having studied in one of the prestigious universities in Kenya, I assumed that getting a job would be smooth sailing for me. I was sadly mistaken. For six years, I never landed a job in my area of study, which is international relations. In fact, COVID-19 era set in months after my graduation. 

It was such a tough time but I had to put my trust in God because this was a worldwide situation. I had no control. For months I waited, watched the news on television day after day hoping that this nightmare would cease. I emphasized with individuals, families and countries affected but I also wanted to ensure that my career would be revived.

I had so much free time in my hands, so I tried out writing and I found it a thoughtful and meaningful way to pass time. I prayed, fasted and journaled. I sometimes look back and can capture what that time was like after reading my journals from that time.

Fast forward to now, I still haven’t had my prayers answered (atleast the way expected the response), but I have managed to get jobs and internships out of my field of study and discover various interests. This is an encouragement to wait on God, not a fictional happy ending.

I end with this quote, “ We’ve all been shot,” from the movie  Black Hawk Down by Colonel Jack. It is paramount to let go of bitterness towards negative events in life or for what didn’t happen in your life. God has a way of lifting you out of the darkness. John 1:5 ESV[5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.