In His Time

When God permits us to be overwhelmed with distresses, and to languish long under them, let us know that, in this manner, he promotes our salvation....and gives a two-fold display of his kindness to us in this respect. That he not only pardons sins, but gladly finds means of correcting them.

John Calvin

We prayed for it night and day, asking God to bring relief from this rebellious, angry child that we could have peace and rest in our home. We wanted the Lord to honor our obedience to Him by changing our child to one who is pleasant, respectful and maybe even a tiny bit grateful for being in our family, having a home and parents. Yet, the Lord tarries in fulfilling the desires and cries of our hearts.

Why must we labor under such gruesome conditions? Why is God silent in this matter?

The books talked about it, friends warned us of it, and our hearts war with it, yet God has called us to adopt. And He did not place just any child in our home. He placed this child in our home. Ordained since the beginning of time. 

This should be a source of comfort. This child is our charge and responsibility for the King of glory. But actually, these are very hard words to swallow when the child is like our worst nightmare.

How easy it is for us to err in thinking if only we had all believing  children, who loved God, we would be blessed. For all children are a blessing from the Lord for those "who are the called according to his purpose." The error is in the interpretation of the blessings, 'I thought' a blessing should bring joy and peace. Yet, due to our sin nature and God's jealousy that we worship Him alone, it is our unbelieving children who so often drive us to our knees because of the trouble or hurt they bring us; thereby, we truly draw near to God which is the greatest blessing!

Also, through this, we cannot help but see ourselves for how sinful we are in our own hearts and abilities; therefore, we are forced to fall before God in repentance to receive the power and strength to endure and persevere to His glory as well as rejoice in His mercy towards sinners!

And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah. 

Jeremiah 42:7

Jeremiah was seeking to know the Lord's will for the remnant of Jews left by the Babylonians after a traitor killed their appointed overseer. The people wanted to know God's "way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do." vs. 3. This is often my desire or prayer request before the Lord: however, I often - most often - seek an answer from God 'right away'! Yet, God is most often pleased to wait with His answers. For 10 days Jeremiah waited for God's answer. The people of Israel waited 400 years to hear God speak again when Jesus came.

God always answers prayer. His silences are just a time for us to exercise faith and obedience while we wait.

It is all in His time