Life.Church with Craig Groeschel - Why Is God So Slow? | Been There | Part 2

Episode Date: April 16, 2023

Sometimes one of the most challenging parts of faith is waiting for God. It might be hard to imagine, but Jesus knows what it’s like to wait. He understands the frustration you feel. In this message, we’ll learn how to trust God while we wait. ABOUT THIS MESSAGEHave you ever been hurt by a friend? Jesus has. Maybe you feel like God isn't listening? Jesus knows what that’s like. No matter what you’re facing, Jesus understands because He’s Been There.NEXT STEPSHave you made a decision to follow Jesus? You may be wondering what’s next on your journey. We want to help! Let us guide you to your next steps in your walk with Christ: https://www.life.church/nextCONNECT WITH A PASTORDo you need prayer? Would you like to find out how you can get involved at Life.Church? One of our pastors would love to meet with you. Schedule a video call with a pastor: https://www.life.church/meetwithusABOUT LIFE.CHURCHWherever you are in life, you have a purpose. Life.Church wants to help you find your next step. Our hope is that your journey will include joining us at a Life.Church location throughout the United States or globally online at https://www.live.life.churchFind locations, videos, and more info about us at https://www.life.church or download the Life.Church app at https://www.life.church/appFIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/life.churchInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/life.churchTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifechurchYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LCNowCONNECT WITH PASTOR CRAIGYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/craiggroeschelFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/craiggroeschelInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/craiggroeschelTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@craiggroeschel#lifechurch #craiggroeschel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Well, one of the worst feelings in life is to wait. How many of you know what I'm talking about? You can type that in the comment section online because you are waiting a long time for me to say anything. Thanks for staying on. I don't know about you, but like, I'm one of the worst waiters around. You put me in traffic and make me wait. You might see your pastor's sin.

I'm not proud of it, I'll confess it, but I'm not good at waiting. You put me in a line at a grocery store. I will analyze the age, the speed of the checker versus the volume of groceries in the person's cart in front of me and come up with a calculus equation to determine which one is a faster. You slow reply to me on a text, and we're not going to be friends. if I slow reply to you on a text, we're not going to be friends. How many of you know it's hard to wait? Especially when you're waiting on God.

Do any of you know what I'm talking about? Some of you've been waiting a long time and you've been praying for something. God, I'm praying and I'm believing, I'm believing and asking that you would bring me a spouse I want to be married. or you've been praying and waiting on God to help you in your merits. God, please do something. I need your help. Or you've been asking God to help you get pregnant or to heal from your depression or to get out of your debt. Some of you've been waiting on God for so long you wonder if God is even listening.

Does he even care? Is he even there? If you've ever felt like God is taking too long, Jesus understands. Today we're resting with the question, why is God so slow? And Father, we ask that as we wait on you, build our faith to trust in you,

knowing you're a good God who loves us, your timing is always perfect and you are always good. So help us to put our faith in you. We pray today in Jesus' name. And everybody said, amen and amen. We are in a message series called been there. And I want to say for the most part, whatever pain you're facing or whatever challenge you're enduring, Jesus has most likely been there.

If you hate waiting on God, God, why is it taking so long? Jesus has actually been there too. And I'm going to show you how exactly he was waiting on God. And I can't get into his mind, but you can imagine if he was God in the flesh, which he was, even as a child, he would have known his mission was to come and to seek and save the loss, to give his life as a ransom, to pay the price, to save us from the penalty of our sins

that he came to give us life and life more abundantly. And yet, he had to wait 30 years before he ever started his public ministry. 30 years! If I'm watching the show and it buffers for three seconds, I'm watching it. watching a different show. He had to wait 30 years before he ever got the green light to do the very mission that he was sent to do. And so if you've ever found yourself impatient or obsessing

about time, you aren't the only one. In fact, I learned in seminary that John, one of the disciples in John's gospel, John was actually pretty obsessed with time as well. It's really interesting. If you read his gospel, you'll see him use the word time over and over and over again. 35 different times John mentioned the word time. Then seven different times, he actually quoted Jesus as talking about a specific hour or the time that would come. In other words, Jesus said a few times, my time has not yet come or my hour has not yet come. And then another time he said, my hour has almost come.

And then Jesus finally said, my time or my hour has come. In fact, I'll show you one of those examples in John chapter two, just to kind of give you an example, it's the story of when Jesus went to a wedding where he changed water into what? He changed water into wine, which is wine drinker's favorite Bible story, and they quote it all the time. And then everybody else says, but it was non-alcoholic wine. And we'll save that debate for another sermon, but we might as well acknowledge us there. And so in John's Gospel, John chapter 2, verse 3, the text tells us this, that the wine supply at this wedding ran out during the festivities.

Now, this is funny to me. So Jesus's mother told him, they have no more wine. Now, I'm going to pause there just for fun and tell you, this actually sounds like a statement, but this isn't a statement, this is actually a command. She was saying, do something about this. And the reason I know is because when she said it, she said, they have no more wine, she raised her eyebrow. You say, how do you know that it's not in the Bible,

but God just showed me that she did that because I've seen it so many times. Amy will look at me and she'll say something that sounds like a statement, but it's not. It's actually an assignment. She'll say, the trash is full. And she'll raise her eyebrow. And that means do something about the trash.

And I'll do something to her. It's very similar. I'll look at her, raise my eyebrows, say, you look really cute. And then she'll look back at me and she'll say, the trash is really full. And that's how it goes in our house. And so Jesus' mother, I'm sorry, Jesus' mother was getting into his business. And she said, she said, the wine. they're running out of wine.

And Jesus says, dear woman, that's not our problem. Now watch what he said. Jesus replied what? Say it aloud with me. He said, my time has not yet come. It's not God's timing for me yet.

I'm waiting until God says go. There are four different times in John's gospel alone that Jesus says, my time has not yet come. It's hard to wait. Not God's timing yet. I know he can do it, but he hasn't done it yet. It's really, really hard when you know he can,

and you don't know why he doesn't. And if you're even a normal Christian, honest enough to get past the Sunday school type answer, sometimes you go, where is God? Why isn't he doing anything about this? What is God doing while I'm waiting? and I want to try to answer that question with Scripture today, what is God doing while you're waiting?

And the good news is that while you're waiting, God is working. While you're actually waiting and trusting on God, scripture says he is active in ways that you may not even know. The Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah, chapter 64 verse 4 says, since the world began. I mean, for all times, all ways, forever and ever, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you

who works for those who wait for him. While you're waiting, God is working. That may raise the question, you might ask, well, how is he working? What's he doing? and I'll try to answer that according to what I've studied in God's word. And the answer is sometimes God is working on it, whatever it is. That it that you want, he's working on it because it's not ready yet.

You're waiting and he's working on it. I give you an example, and this one is very emotional to me. Before I was a Christian, I was very, very broken, very far from God and didn't know how to treat. or honor a woman in a way that would be pleasing to God or just even right. And so when I became a Christian, I just stopped dating completely and felt like it was an assignment to just stop and detox from what I had seen in the world and start to pursue God and learn how to treat and honor a woman. And so I was praying.

And while I was praying, I had no idea God was actually working. I was waiting and I was praying. And all that time, even though I didn't know Amy, she had grown up as a Christian. But she went into college, and like a lot of college students, she had drifted from God, and I was praying for the one that would be my spouse, and I was waiting for the one, and God was working. And behind the scenes, God picked off another person who was a good friend of hers and brought him into the kingdom. And then that guy went and witnessed to Amy into her roommate, and Amy and her roommate had a radical step back to the faith in Jesus.

And all that time, I had no idea. Well, I was simply praying, and while I was waiting, God was working and getting her ready. to bless me and getting me ready to be a blessing to her. Why has God taken so long? Why isn't God doing what I know he can do? I'm praying for my husband, and he's still not nice. I'm asking God to take my depression away. I'm still battling with depression.

I'm praying, God, I know you can take my migraines away. Why won't you, God? Why is God taking so long? Maybe he's working, on it. It's not ready yet. Or maybe you're not ready yet. Maybe God's working on you. What I found is a lot of times I'll ask God, why won't you give me what I want? I want it now. And there are almost times where I feel like God would say, you can't handle it yet. Some of you right now, you'll find this. You're praying for something like, God, give me some money.

God, give me some money. God, give me some money. And God's like going, you can't handle money. You can't even handle what you got right now. Why don't them to become faithful? with what you've got before I give you a little bit more. Got quiet in here all of a sudden, like, you guys, I don't know what you're talking about. You must be talking about my friend. God, give me more influence. God, I just want more influence. I just want more influence.

God might say, I'm going to grow your character before I increase your influence. I don't want your talent to take you somewhere where your character can't keep you. God may say, I want to mature you. I want to do something in you. I remember early years of ministry, God just like, grow the ministry, grow the ministry. And God gave us a Gideon revival. It went backwards.

It's a Gideon revival. Gideon's army went down. Our ministry went down. And I felt horrible. I felt so bad and I blamed myself. And God showed me if I blame myself for the decrease, I might take credit for the increase. God had to do something in me to prepare.

my character to handle what he wanted to give me. He may be teaching you right now while you're waiting to trust him. If he just gave it to you, you just kind of keep going on, and maybe he's teaching you to depend on him in a way that you wouldn't otherwise. He's doing something in you. What I've found is that sometimes God does something in you

before he does something through you. Sometimes he'll do something in you before he does something for you. And you see all sorts of examples in scripture. There was Saul, you may remember, the guy that hated Christians and killed Christians, and then he had this radical conversion when he was blinded by the light and Saul became Paul. And all Paul wanted to do was preach. I just want to preach.

Give me a chance to preach. Jesus saved me and I want to tell people about the good news of the gospel. And he wanted to preach. And depending on what commentaries or what scholars you read, some will say that it was about a decade, maybe long. that he was building tense while God was building character or building the word into him before he could fully use his gift. Maybe even a decade or so while he's ready to go and God said slow,

I need to do something in you first. What's God doing while you're waiting? God is always working while you're waiting from the beginning of time. No eye has seen, no ear is heard about all that God does, how he's working for those who are waiting. So what do you do while you're waiting? What do you do while you're waiting? Well, since you know God is working,

don't waste the waiting. Don't waste the waiting. A waiting season isn't a wasted season if you continue to seek and push in to God. I would say it this way because I know my heart goes out to so many of you, there are many people in my orbit, our close inner circle right now,

that are really crying out to God, praying for healing in very dark situations, praying for miracles and marriages, praying for a supernatural touch of God. And I would just say this, don't wait passively. What does a waiter do at a restaurant? They serve.

In other words, let's be serving while we're waiting. Let's be growing while we're waiting. Let's not wait, passively, let's wake actively and pressing into God. For example, when I was praying and kind of waiting on God to do a working on Amy, I didn't even know God was doing a working on Amy, but I was waiting.

Let me tell you what I was doing. I was detoxing, and on Saturday nights, I had what I call date nights with God. This is cheesy, but remember this was the late 80s, and that was probably cool back in the late 80s. And so I would literally drink near beer, which you don't know where that. but it's non-alcoholic beer because I had a propensity

or dependency on alcohol so I was weaning myself off of this and then I would listen to cassette tapes and I know that some of you don't know what that is but you can Google it or ask your grandma and I would listen to cassette tapes on marriage and I would take notes about how to have a godly marriage and I would journal about how I'd want to treat a woman one day and then I started writing love notes to the person that would become my wife. I didn't know who it was, but like, okay, God knows who you are. And so I had a shoebox full of love notes.

And crazy enough, about a month into dating Amy, I gave him to her and said, I think these are for you, which is really a good thing that she was the one because it would have been really awkward. Three months later to say, sorry, can I have those back? They were for somebody else. But the whole time, it wasn't a pastor. waiting, but it was a passionate, persistent pursuit of God in the waiting. It's never, ever easy,

but don't just wait passively, but wait faithfully, maybe doing something that helps you grow closer to God. And what I want to do is I want to show you something that maybe will build your faith in God's timing. And I'll give you a little history from the time of the Garden of Eden, all the way from the beginning of creation to the birth of Christ. The world was waiting on a Messiah. It had been prophesied over and over and over again. The Messiah is coming. The Messiah is coming. The Messiah is coming. And for generation after generation, people wonder, why is God taking so long? And though they didn't know then, we know now that the world wasn't ready yet. The world wasn't ready. And I give you a little bit of history known as the period of the, it was the intertestimental

period. And this was the 400-year period between the book of Malachi, or even some would say Nehemiah, the end of the Old Testament, Malachi, through John the Baptist. During that 400-so-year period, no prophet spoke on behalf of God. brutal because before that time while they were waiting on the Messiah at least God was talking and suddenly there was nothing which may feel like some of what you feel right now you're praying for something and you're believing for something and you're having faith in God and you're pursuing God and you're trying to keep pressing into God but it feels like God's gone silent like he's dark like there's nothing there. And you're just asking him for a sign. Give me a sign. Anything, a feeling, a

Bible verse, a song on Caleb that I really, really like. God just give me anything. And yet you feel like he's just silent. And I want to remind you that just because God feels silent doesn't mean that he's absent. While you're waiting, he's still working. He's still the God of the universe. He's working behind the scenes to bring about good to all those who love him and are called according to his purpose. So while you're waiting, he's working. And what is he doing? Well, the world was waiting on a Messiah and he simply wouldn't come. And Genesis 4 tells us this in verse 4, but when the what, let's say it aloud, but when the right time came, what did God do? God sent his son.

When the time was perfect, when the time was right, God sent his son. And looking back, we can see why God waited for the exact time. I'll give you three things, and I could actually show you probably 10 or 15, but I give you three things that happen during this time. During that 400-year period, number one, there was the Socratic method that became a new way of learning instead of the didactic method where there was a direct teaching of truth,

for the first time in history, people were encouraged, students were encouraged to ask questions. And then, throughout all of history, the Old Testament, had been written in Hebrew until maybe 280-ish or so, BC. Number two, the Old Testament was actually translated into Greek during that four-year period. And the third thing, which was world-altering, is that Alexander the Great conquered the world. Now, on a side note, if you conquer the world, they add great to your name. Alexander the Great. What does this mean? Well, it means now there was a common language.

Everyone spoke a little Greek. And during that time, there was something known as the diaspora, where the Jews were forbidden to live in Jerusalem. So they spread all over the world. and Rome was developing roads and highways throughout the entire empire. So therefore, during that 400-year period, while they were waiting, God was working. And for the very first time in history, we see three things. The first thing is the people were encouraged to ask questions, and God sent the answer

whose name was Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life. The second thing is that everyone now had access to the Bible in a language. that they understood. And number three, for the first time in history, the good news could spread in a common language through the Jewish people to the entire known world. While they were waiting, God was working, setting up things for the spread of the gospel when the time was just right. not early and not late but in a perfect time God sent his son

born of a virgin not to condemn the world but to save the world not to come for the healthy but to come for the sick not to come for those who proclaimed that they were righteous but to come for those who are broken in sin

when the time was right when the time was just right and the time was just right, God sent his son. So if you're struggling a little bit in your waiting, like, I get it, man, I get it, I totally get it. You're asking God to answer your prayer, like, when will my child come to Christ?

When will I get a job with benefits? When will you do something in this marriage to get us out of the pain? when can I get a real house or get a car that runs, whatever it is. You're waiting. And it may not even be some of those big things. It may be some of the more small and annoying things. For example, it's almost embarrassing for me to tell you this, but this is where many of you live. Since August, I've been dealing with this ongoing, reoccurring skin issue that's just driving me crazy. If you didn't see me with my little powder on right now that I have to wear for the

blah-la-la-la-da-da-da-d things that they make me wear. You see, my face is all blotched up, and then I get my face fixed, and it moves to my body. And I'm like a dog. I just sit there scratch all over all the time, and it's the worst at night. And I'm kind of going, God, where are you? I've got the best doctors, I've got the best dermatologist. I'm doing everything. I'm using soap that doesn't have anything in it, not even soap. I mean, they're like, I'm like, just I'm like, you know, nothing. I'm doing it all right. And God, I remember, I'm on your side. I'm serving you. And I can't sleep more than three or four hours a night. God, what are you doing? Well, maybe I got more prayer time. And so I'm praying more. And so if you feel a little more

prayed for, just know that I'm praying for you. Sidden started that. Man, it gets bad when you start. I am praying for you, and I'm taking the time actively, not passively, and when I'm awake, I'm praying for you. If you feel like you're in a holding pattern right now, it seems like God's giving you the silent treatment. I want to remind you, just because he's silent doesn't mean that he's absent. What I promise you is, our good God loves you and he's not ignoring you.

he's not neglecting you and he has not forgotten you. Maybe it's not ready yet. Maybe God's working on it. Or maybe you're not ready yet. And God's still working on you. Or maybe, and I have to tell you this, maybe God's not ever going to do what you're asking him to do. Maybe he's not.

because he's still God. And it's not about our preferences. It's all about His glory. Scripture says this. In fact, God said, for my thoughts are not your thoughts. Neither are your ways, my ways, declares the Lord. As high as the heavens are above the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. If you're waiting, God is working. And maybe he's working on it. Maybe he's working on you. Or maybe he's not ever going to do exactly what you want him to do. Because he is not there to serve our wishes. We are here to serve him and glorify him.

And we have to remember that. we serve God. Jesus learned that. He knew it. He lived it. My time is not, it's not about what I want. It's not my time yet.

God hadn't said it's the time. Then God did say it was the time. And when it was the time, it wasn't for Jesus' benefit. Meaning what God called him to do was not something Jesus, Jesus in his own physical desire for comfort wanted to do it all. Jesus said this, he said, the hour has come.

Before he said it hadn't come, now it's come for the son of man to be glorified. And how did he feel about this? Well, finally I get to suffer. Here's what he said. Now my soul is troubled. And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? Jesus said, no.

It was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name. Father, glorify your name. God, if you do what I want, when you want, glorify your name. If you do what I want later than I want, when you want God, glorify your name. God, if you never do, What I want, glorify your name.

God glorify your name because he is the supreme creator of the universe and yet he loves you. And he always has your best interest at heart and your best interest isn't always what you want now. He's got eternity on his mind. And the good news is, while you're waiting, he is working, he is working, he is working, he is working in all things, everything. For the good, for your good, to those who love him and are called according to his purpose.

It doesn't say for exactly what you want, but it does say for your good. So while I'm itching, I'm going to be praying because it's not what I want, but Father, glorify your name. And so ultimately, here's kind of where I stand. I'm going to trust in him. I'm going to trust him. I'm going to trust him. I'm going to tell you right now, with everything in me, I believe that all things are possible with our God, that the name of Jesus is being. bigger than depression. And the name of Jesus is bigger than cancer. And the name of Jesus can save any brokenness. The name of Jesus is bigger than pornography addiction or alcohol addiction or methamphetamine addiction or any kind of sexual. The name of Jesus is bigger than sexual addiction.

The name of Jesus is bigger. We call on him. We believe he can. We believe he can. We believe he'll heal. We believe he'll restore. We believe he'll bring back the broken relationships. We believe that will heal the cries of our heart. We believe that we will be free. We believe that we'll see him work. We believe we'll see him restore the relationship. We believe that he can, and we believe that he will. We believe he is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more

than all we can ask, think, or imagine, according to his power that is at work within his people through the church that he may be glorified. We believe that he can, and we believe that he will. And even if he doesn't, we still believe, We still worship him. We still praise him. Father, glorify your name. Glorify your name. Glorify your name. We trust you. We trust you. We trust you. We trust you. I believe that you can. I believe that you will. And even if you don't, God, I still believe.

Father, glorify your name. And God, we ask that right now, as I know there are so many people, people that crying out to you, some who've maybe even given up, wondering if you're there. God, would you build our faith, teach us to trust you? God, draw us close. God, we thank you. That while we're waiting, you're always working. So that since you're working, we're not going to waste the waiting, we're going to press into you. As you reflecting in prayer today at all of our churches, I wonder how many of you are waiting and praying and believing that God would do something. Would you lift up your hands right now?

Just lift above all of our churches online. You can type in the comment section. I'm waiting on God right now. You can just type it. I'm waiting on God. You may even say what it's for. I'm waiting for restoration. I'm waiting for healing.

I'm waiting for provision. I'm waiting for a job, whatever it is. And we're going to pray for what you're waiting for. God, we just cast all of our burdens and our anxiety on you. And we come to you, God. Knowing that you're a good God, that you hear the cries of our heart. So we ask you for healing in the name of Jesus. We ask you for provision in the name of Jesus.

God, we ask you for restoration. God, we ask that you would work. And God, we do, we do, we believe that you can that all things are possible. And God, we believe that you will, that you hear the cries of our hearts. And yet, ultimately, God, we do trust you, we trust you. We trust you.

We trust you, glorify your name. Even if you don't, God, we still believe. We still believe. As you continue praying today, I wonder, you're waiting on God. I want you to think about this. What if the God that you're waiting for is waiting for you? What if he's waiting for you? Second Peter 3.9, let me quote scripture to you.

The Bible says that the Lord is not slow. He's never, ever slow, scripture says, in keeping his promise. as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you. What if the God you're waiting for is waiting for you? He is patient with you not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. What if the God that you're waiting for is waiting for you

because he loves you? He's patient. He doesn't want anyone to be without him. He wants everyone to know him. There are some of you today that you're not walking with him. Just kind of like Amy wasn't early in college. And the Holy Spirit was working on her, drawing her back. And maybe the Holy Spirit's working on you, drawing you today. What do we do?

What do we do? We just recognize and acknowledge, God, I don't know you, or I'm not walking with you. And we step away from whatever is keeping us from him, and we just surrender to him. Scripture said, just come to him as you are. Come to him right now. Just come to him. Just come to him. He says, I'm knocking on the door.

If anyone answers, I'm going to come to him. He wants to come in. You just come as you are. You say, but I'm full of sin. He came for the sinners, but I'm broken. He came for those who are broken. You just say yes. You just say yes, wherever you are.

When you cry out to him, the name of Jesus. God, here's your prayers and he forgives your sins, and he makes you new wherever you are or whatever you're going through. How ever broken you feel. You just come to him. What if he's waiting on you? When you come to him, he'll make you brand new.

Wherever you're watching from those who say, I need him. I need his forgiveness today by faith. I'm just coming to him by faith. I give my life to him. When you do, he hears your prayers, he forgives your sins, he makes you new, wherever you're watching from you say, I need him, I'm coming to him. Jesus, I give you my life.

That's your prayer. Lift your hands high right now, all over the place. Lift them up right over here. Praise God for you. Right back over here. Others that he's saying, yes, Jesus. Right back up there, yes, I surrender Jesus. I need you.

Others today say yes, I surrender Jesus. I trust you with my life. Those of you online, just type it in the comment section. I'm trusting Jesus. I'm surrendering to Jesus. And wherever you're watching from, we're going to pray and put our faith in him today. Just pray aloud, pray Heavenly Father, forgive all of my sins. Jesus save me, change me, heal me, make me brand new, fill me with your spirit.

So I could know you and I could serve you wholeheartedly living for you and showing your love and trusting you in all that I do. My life is not my own. I give it all to you. Father, glorify your name. Glorify your name. Glorify your name. I give you my life.

In Jesus' name, I pray. Because somebody worship God right now. Give God thanks, give him praise. Come on, church, give him praise. Thank God. Thank God, thank God, thank God.