Purpose of Delay November 12, 2014

⁴ We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.  John 9:4 ESV

By putting off things beyond their proper times, one duty treads upon the heels of another, and all duties are felt as irksome obligations,—a yoke beneath which we fret and lose our peace. In most cases the consequence of this is, that we have no time to do the work as it ought to be done. It is therefore done precipitately, with eagerness, with a greater desire simply to get it done, than to do it well, and with very little thought of God throughout.

Tileston, Mary W. (2012-05-17). Daily Strength for Daily Needs (p. 194).  . Kindle Edition. 


On November 7 I recorded in my blog that I have had several mornings of feeling unsettled.  For a couple of mornings, calm reigned, however, that unease returned.  I sought God for an answer and release from these morning anxieties, but they remained.

Today, I received two answers.  The first contained in the excerpt from Mary Tileston's book.

There are several small tasks at work I have not completed.  Nothing earth shattering, but important enough I will be held accountable for them.  Until I get the necessary emails sent and reports completed, it is likely my mornings will remind half a bubble off.

The second revelation is that God has allowed several mornings of unsettledness to give me a greater appreciation of consistent, sustained prayer.  Had He revealed the reason for my discomfort the first morning, the lesson learned would have been the secular lesson of getting things done in a timely manner.  Which is a good lesson to remember.  However, God had something bigger.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16 KJV  One day, one prayer, problem solved.  Wouldn't that be nice if God worked that way.  But in many cases days, weeks, months, or even years of prayers may be required. 

If God had reminded me of the importance of completed tasks on the first morning I woke unsettled, I would have remained ignorant of the greater lesson.  God has a reason for each triumph, each defeat, each season of our lives.  His response to each situation, each request, each petition is perfect in it content and timing.