Good day, good people! This is the day that the Lord has made; never forget that. Regardless of what you face in the morning, afternoon, or evening, this day for you and me is a gift, so let’s cherish it.
Have you ever wondered why preparation always seems to come with delay?
You will often hear people say, “You are not being delayed; you are being prepared.” But if we are honest, most of us respond internally with, “I don’t want the delay—just prepare me at the right time.”
Preparation can feel like delay, especially when it takes longer than expected. And yes, there is a fine line between the two. The difficult part is that when you are in that season, you do not know when it will end.
Genesis 41:46 (ESV)
Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt.
It is easy to look at Joseph’s story and treat it as an exception—especially when you are in your own season of waiting. But his story is not just an exception; it is a lesson.
Joseph was shown the dream of greatness, but he was not shown the process—the delay, the preparation, the waiting, the uncertainty. And that is often how God works in our lives. We are given vision, dreams, and desires, but not always the timeline.
Today, many of us are in that same position. We carry dreams, ambitions, goals, and even burdens, yet we do not know when things will come together or when certain struggles will end.
At the end of the day, we may not control the timing—but we do control our response.
We can choose:
- To grow bitter or to grow better
- To resist the process or to learn from it
- To complain about the delay or to trust God in it
Gratitude Friday
Today, I want to challenge those who are bold enough—those who are “crazy” enough—to thank God for the delay.
Yes, the delay may have been painful. Yes, it may have brought tears. But if you look closely, you will realize that it has also brought growth.
There are lessons you have learned, strength you have gained, and character that has been built—things that might not have developed without that pause.
I am currently in what I would call a delay myself. I have cried. I have questioned. But more than that, I have chosen gratitude—because some things truly require us to slow down, reflect, and be shaped before we move forward.
Takeaway:
Delay is not always denial—it is often development. You may not understand the timing, but you can trust that God is using this season to prepare you for what is ahead. Instead of asking, “Why the delay?” begin to ask, “What is God teaching me here?”
Prayer: Abba, Father, we thank you in Jesus’ name, Ameni!