By Now-

“I would have thought things would have been different, by now.”

“I would have thought they would be here, by now.”

“I would have thought I would have gotten out of this, by now.”

We’ve all said one or all of these phrases at some point.

We may even be thinking it today.

But I’m reminded, by each phrase, of the people, real people, in the Word of God that must have experienced the same Frustration and temptation to quit, but remained faithFULL, and recieved.

The first example, I gleaned from the life of King David.

After running from King Saul, and his crazy attempt to wipe him out,

he ran off into the land of the Philistines, (enemy territory) in hopes of just laying low for a while. .

Not a good decision.

Running away from your problems is never the solution.

But can we relate?

I can.

We see that this part of his life resulted  in one of the greatest “burn downs” (racing terminology) that He had ever faced. The enemy ended up taking all of his livelihood including his wives, and children, and all of the people who had been following him, were also affected. So affected that they were turning on him and his leadership qualities as well.

I’m sure, the thought of “God, I thought I would be on a throne somewhere by now, had to have entered his mind, especially after he had already been anointed. 

At that point, David did the right thing and ran back to His Faithful God. God encouraged Him to pursue his enemies, after He had encouraged himself in the Lord.

Anybody had a burn down?

Encourage yourself in the Lord,

and He will encourage you, just like David, to pursue and take back everything the enemy has taken from you.

Whew. I’m glad that’s over. The running, I mean- but no, it’s not.

After taking his position as King, His Son, Absalom, decides to take over the Kingdom because David, he feels, isn’t doing a very good job.

Usurping Authority is never the right thing and it costs Absalom his life.

David is broken hearted. “God, I thought things would be different by now.”

You may recall another person who may have experienced temptation in the area of waiting years for a promise-

No, not may have, he was definitely tempted.

Our  fore-Father Abraham, because He goes about the promises of God on his own,

listening to Sara about having a son with the maidservant,

gets his heart broke as well.

Ishmael wasn’t what God had intended.

How often do we try to work things out in our own way and timing,  what only God can do in His Perfect Plan.

God blesses what He’s Promised us, but He even still makes right what we go about to make happen on our own,

when we return to Him.

That’s Grace.

So, after digging this well today, my friend sends me this;

Take heart.

As long as you still have breath, you have a Father waiting for you to return to His Perfect Will for your life.