Embracing Divine Detours: Trusting God's Perfect Timing

Summary

### Summary

Good morning, Radiant Church! Today, we explored the concept of divine detours and the importance of waiting on God's timing. We began by acknowledging that God knows every season of our lives, including our struggles and victories. We then took a moment to appreciate our production team for their behind-the-scenes work that allows us to worship seamlessly.

I shared a personal story about my twin boys and how their playful competition often leads to unexpected delays, much like the detours we face in life. These detours can be frustrating, but they are often orchestrated by God to align us with His divine timeline. We delved into the story of Lazarus in John 11, where Jesus intentionally delayed His visit, allowing Lazarus to die, only to later raise him from the dead. This delay was not a sign of neglect but a divine strategy to reveal God's glory and deepen the faith of those involved.

We discussed how God's timeline often doesn't match ours, leading us to impatience and frustration. However, these periods of waiting are crucial for our spiritual growth and maturity. God uses these times to prepare us, others, and the situations around us for His perfect plan. We must learn to trust that His delays are purposeful and for our ultimate good.

I also shared a personal testimony about the anxiety and eventual joy of discovering we were having twins, emphasizing that God's timing is always perfect, even when it involves waiting. We explored how waiting on God builds our character and prepares us for future assignments.

Finally, we addressed the pain and frustration that come with waiting, especially in difficult circumstances like losing a loved one. We must remember that God's love is not about removing pain but about revealing His glory through our trials. By trusting in His higher ways and thoughts, we can find peace and strength to move forward.

### Key Takeaways

1. God's Timing is Perfect: God's timeline often doesn't match ours, leading to frustration and impatience. However, these delays are purposeful, designed to prepare us for His perfect plan. Trusting in His timing allows us to experience the full depth of His love and purpose for our lives. [32:27]

2. Divine Detours: Just as Jesus delayed His visit to Lazarus, God sometimes orchestrates detours in our lives to reveal His glory and deepen our faith. These detours, though painful, are opportunities for spiritual growth and a deeper relationship with Him. [38:30]

3. Preparation in Waiting: While we wait, God is preparing us, others, and the situations around us. This preparation is essential for our spiritual maturity and for fulfilling our God-given destiny. Embracing this process helps us become more like Jesus. [49:20]

4. The Essence of Love: True love, as demonstrated by Jesus, is not about removing pain but about revealing God's glory. Our trials and waiting periods are opportunities to experience and display the all-satisfying glory of God, which is the greatest act of love. [01:03:30]

5. Finding Peace in God's Higher Ways: Trusting in God's higher thoughts and ways, even when we don't understand, brings peace and strength. His plans are far beyond our comprehension, and believing in His sovereignty helps us navigate the pain and uncertainty of life's detours. [01:14:17]

### YouTube Chapters

1. [0:00] - Welcome
2. [27:49] - Appreciation for the Production Team
3. [29:16] - Personal Story: Twin Boys and Elevator Buttons
4. [30:46] - The Frustration of Detours
5. [32:27] - God's Timeline vs. Our Timeline
6. [33:58] - Earthly Destiny and Spiritual Maturity
7. [35:29] - The Story of Lazarus
8. [38:30] - Connecting Pain with God's Glory
9. [40:13] - The Love of Jesus
10. [41:47] - Jesus Waits: The Question of Timing
11. [45:02] - Impatience and Its Consequences
12. [49:20] - Winning While Waiting: God's Preparation
13. [52:08] - Preparing Others and Situations
14. [55:04] - Learning to Wait Patiently
15. [56:43] - Trusting God in Delays
16. [57:56] - Biblical Examples of Waiting
17. [59:04] - Becoming Comfortable in Waiting
18. [01:00:12] - Patience and Behavior in Waiting
19. [01:01:27] - The Pain of Waiting and God's Love
20. [01:03:30] - The Greatest Act of Love
21. [01:06:05] - Personal Testimony: Hudson's Healing
22. [01:10:01] - The Purpose of Pain
23. [01:11:06] - The Glory of God Revealed
24. [01:12:20] - Facing Detours and Adversities
25. [01:14:17] - Trusting God's Higher Ways
26. [01:17:27] - Prayer and Invitation
27. [01:19:10] - Standing in Faith and Trust
28. [01:20:34] - Closing Prayer and Worship

Study Guide

### Bible Reading
1. John 11:1-6: "Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, 'Lord, the one you love is sick.' When he heard this, Jesus said, 'This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.' Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days."

### Observation Questions
1. What was Jesus' initial reaction when He heard that Lazarus was sick? (John 11:4-6)
2. How did Jesus connect Lazarus' sickness with the glory of God? ([38:30])
3. What were the emotions and reactions of Mary and Martha when Jesus delayed His visit? ([43:19])
4. How did the pastor relate his personal story about his twin boys to the concept of divine detours? ([29:16])

### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus chose to delay His visit to Lazarus despite knowing the urgency of the situation? ([41:47])
2. How can periods of waiting and divine detours contribute to our spiritual growth and maturity? ([32:27])
3. In what ways does the story of Lazarus illustrate the idea that God's timing is perfect, even when it doesn't align with our own? ([38:30])
4. How does the pastor's testimony about the anxiety and eventual joy of discovering they were having twins relate to trusting God's timing? ([46:29])

### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced a "divine detour" in your life. How did it impact your faith and trust in God's timing? ([30:46])
2. How can you remind yourself to trust in God's higher ways and thoughts when you are in a season of waiting? ([01:14:17])
3. What practical steps can you take to embrace the process of waiting and preparation that God has for you? ([49:20])
4. How can you support and encourage others who are currently in a season of waiting or facing a detour in their lives? ([50:03])
5. Think of a current situation where you are feeling impatient. How can you shift your perspective to see it as an opportunity for spiritual growth? ([32:27])
6. How can you find peace and strength in trusting God's timing, especially in difficult circumstances like losing a loved one? ([01:02:15])
7. What specific actions can you take this week to deepen your relationship with God during a period of waiting? ([01:00:12])

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting in God's Perfect Timing
God's timeline often doesn't match ours, leading to frustration and impatience. However, these delays are purposeful, designed to prepare us for His perfect plan. Trusting in His timing allows us to experience the full depth of His love and purpose for our lives. [32:27]

In our fast-paced world, waiting can be incredibly challenging. We often want immediate answers and quick solutions. However, God's timing is not bound by our human expectations. He sees the bigger picture and knows what is best for us. When we face delays, it is not because God has forgotten us but because He is orchestrating something far greater than we can imagine. These periods of waiting are opportunities for us to grow in faith, patience, and trust in His divine plan.

During these times, it is essential to remember that God's delays are not denials. He is preparing us for something better, something that aligns perfectly with His will for our lives. By trusting in His timing, we can find peace and assurance, knowing that He is in control and that His plans for us are good.

Habakkuk 2:3 (ESV): "For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay."

Reflection: Think of a situation in your life where you are experiencing a delay. How can you trust God's timing and find peace in His plan today?

Day 2: Embracing Divine Detours
Just as Jesus delayed His visit to Lazarus, God sometimes orchestrates detours in our lives to reveal His glory and deepen our faith. These detours, though painful, are opportunities for spiritual growth and a deeper relationship with Him. [38:30]

Life is full of unexpected detours that can leave us feeling frustrated and confused. However, these detours are often divine interventions designed to lead us closer to God. In the story of Lazarus, Jesus intentionally delayed His visit, allowing Lazarus to die, only to later raise him from the dead. This delay was not a sign of neglect but a divine strategy to reveal God's glory and deepen the faith of those involved.

When we encounter detours in our lives, it is crucial to view them as opportunities for spiritual growth. These moments challenge us to trust God more deeply and to rely on His wisdom rather than our own understanding. By embracing these divine detours, we can experience a more profound relationship with God and witness His glory in ways we never imagined.

Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent detour in your life. How can you see God's hand at work in this situation, and how can it deepen your faith?

Day 3: Preparation in Waiting
While we wait, God is preparing us, others, and the situations around us. This preparation is essential for our spiritual maturity and for fulfilling our God-given destiny. Embracing this process helps us become more like Jesus. [49:20]

Waiting is not a passive activity; it is a time of active preparation. God uses these periods to mold and shape us into the people He wants us to be. While we wait, He is at work in our hearts, refining our character and strengthening our faith. This preparation is crucial for our spiritual maturity and for fulfilling the destiny He has planned for us.

Moreover, God is not only preparing us but also the people and circumstances around us. He is aligning everything according to His perfect plan. By embracing this process, we can grow in patience, humility, and trust, becoming more like Jesus in the process. It is in these waiting periods that we learn to rely on God's strength and wisdom, rather than our own.

James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Reflection: In what ways is God preparing you during this season of waiting? How can you embrace this process and grow in your faith?

Day 4: The Essence of Love
True love, as demonstrated by Jesus, is not about removing pain but about revealing God's glory. Our trials and waiting periods are opportunities to experience and display the all-satisfying glory of God, which is the greatest act of love. [01:03:30]

Love is often misunderstood as the absence of pain or hardship. However, true love, as demonstrated by Jesus, goes beyond merely removing difficulties. It is about revealing God's glory through our trials and waiting periods. Jesus' delay in visiting Lazarus was not a lack of love but a profound act of love, as it allowed God's glory to be revealed in a miraculous way.

Our own trials and waiting periods are opportunities to experience and display the all-satisfying glory of God. When we trust in His higher ways and thoughts, we can find peace and strength, knowing that His love is at work in our lives. This revelation of God's glory is the greatest act of love, as it draws us closer to Him and allows others to see His power and grace through our experiences.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: How can you view your current trials as opportunities to experience and display God's glory? What does this reveal about His love for you?

Day 5: Finding Peace in God's Higher Ways
Trusting in God's higher thoughts and ways, even when we don't understand, brings peace and strength. His plans are far beyond our comprehension, and believing in His sovereignty helps us navigate the pain and uncertainty of life's detours. [01:14:17]

Life is filled with uncertainties and challenges that can leave us feeling overwhelmed and anxious. However, trusting in God's higher thoughts and ways brings peace and strength. His plans are far beyond our comprehension, and He sees the end from the beginning. When we believe in His sovereignty, we can navigate the pain and uncertainty of life's detours with confidence and hope.

God's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. This truth can be both comforting and challenging. It requires us to surrender our understanding and trust in His divine wisdom. By doing so, we can find peace in knowing that He is in control and that His plans for us are good, even when we don't understand them fully.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God's higher ways? How can you surrender this area to Him and find peace in His sovereignty today?

Quotes

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "What do we do when God orchestrates detours in our personal and spiritual lives? What happens when God's timeline doesn't match the timeline that we have prepared for? The problem is we don't want to wait. We don't like detours. We want things on our schedule, our time frame, and we simply don't like taking the longer journey." [30:46] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "The solution is trusting that God's timeline is sovereign and divine. Believing that His plans bring His Father glory, and when we fully trust Him and His plans for our lives, we experience all that He has for us to experience. Seeing detours from God's perspective will help us navigate the challenges, the opportunities, and be fully content in the path God's calling us to walk in." [32:27] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "As believers in Christ, we have a destiny. You have a unique destiny. You know, from an eternal perspective, we know what our destiny is, and that's to be in heaven, in God's presence forever, worshiping Him. But the destiny we're going to focus on is the destiny of God. And that's our earthly destiny. The destiny while we're here on this earth, this planet." [33:58] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "We must have faith and put our hope and trust in God and believe that he is working behind the scenes for our greater good. Because hope empowers us to deal with three things. One is the pain of the present, the fear of the past, or the regrets of the past, and the fear of the future." [56:43] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Today, you might not see how your dream or your plans will come to pass. Medically speaking, things don't look so good. Financially, the hole is too deep. Your depression is real. Your marriage is more strained than ever. On your own, this season looks like it will never end. But the good news is you are not alone. Jesus is here. He is with you. But you do need to invite him into your waiting season." [01:13:00] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "The issue is when God's timeline doesn't match ours, we like to take matters into our own hands. We try to force our way to the finish line. We try to create a journey that speeds up the path. We try to force our way to the finish line. We try to expedite God's plan and end up missing out on the full experience, the development, and the spiritual maturity that comes from a journey in God's plan." [32:27] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Jesus is basically saying, hey, Mary, Martha, take a deep breath. Things are not going to happen the way you want them to happen. They're not going to look the way you want them to go, but I am in control. I have a plan. My Father is going to receive glory through this detour." [38:30] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "To become spiritually mature, we must learn to be comfortable in waiting. I like to say it this way. To become spiritually mature, we must learn to be comfy and restful. We must learn to be comfortable in waiting." [58:33] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Patience is not simply the ability to wait, but it's how we behave while waiting. That is really good. Patience is not simply the ability to wait because you can wait, but it is how we behave in the midst of waiting." [01:00:12] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "If God loves you enough to allow these circumstances in your life to happen that will cause you pain, frustration, and hurt, He will do it with the full intent of you learning and becoming dependent upon Him, and as a result, experiencing all the glory, love, of being fully satisfied in Him." [01:05:21] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

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