With every botched career move, failed relationship, and deferred hope, we hear that familiar, accusatory whisper. "It's too late now." Did you go through a killer divorce? Good luck finding someone at 40 with three kids in tow. Didn't get that promotion? Just be happy where you're at. Another loan rejection? Did you really think this time would be different?"
Death to that voice. It's never too late to overcome. To think and act differently. To see that dream become reality or overturn 50 years of regret. There are no time constructs or limits in God's Kingdom, so we need to stop believing the lies and focus on His truth. Beginning with the best one.
#1: God Never Gives Up
God is the giver of second, third, and 1,000 chances. He never stops believing in us, and time is irrelevant for Him. He knows our dreams because He's the one who imparted them within our minds and hearts when He created us. The most important truth to remember when being tempted to quit going after a dream or goal is that God never quits us. He's always working for our good, always there for strength, and never gets discouraged by our failures, setbacks, or snail-like progress. Whether you're attempting to finally get healthy, rebuild your marriage, or restore a broken part of yourself, He won't give up on your efforts, so don't let the enemy convince you otherwise!
Consider asking God to increase your faith that He can and will finish a good work in you. Whether it's an entrepreneurial venture you've been chipping away at for years or a bad habit you've been half-kicking for decades, it's simply not too late. Choose to believe that every morning brings new mercies, pressing in with prayer and trust that God's timing will be just right. This leads us to the next truth.
#2 Sometimes the Wait Feels Like Eternity
In today's instantly gratified world, we want quick results. We've prayed every day for a year now, Lord. What's the holdup? But sometimes God's "slowness" can be a blessing. He may be allowing us to sit in the pain or growing process (think cocooned caterpillar) until we're refined, prepared, and positioned for the right time.
Take relationship struggles, for example. Heart lessons can be learned, and revelations can be had during the process of working through a difficult marriage. When it comes to personal ambitions, what if we're not quite mature enough for the influence/following/success we've been praying for and working towards…just yet? It's easy to mistake God's slower pace for ambivalence or even abandonment. It can feel utterly defeating when we still haven't seen a dream or years of toil come to fruition, but God is faithfully working in the meantime.
When struggling to believe God's ability or even desire to help us change, the enemy would love for us to believe one of three lies: God's forgotten about us. He's punishing us. Or he's just plain ambivalent towards us. Maybe God's trying to "test us" to see if we'll crack, backslide, complain, etc. All lies. Consider viewing perceived delays and elongated struggles as His desire for perfectionism instead. Crow's feet and laugh lines aside, one of the true perks to aging is seeing so many "waits," and unanswered prayers come to fruition in ways I'd never expected in a million years.
When you're tempted to feel like it's just too late, try to shift your focus to expectation, thanking God ahead of time for the change you're believing and striving for. This will increase your faith and convert anxiousness to hope.
#3 Our Mistakes Cannot Hinder God's Plan
Sometimes, it's tempting (and easier) to give up rather than endlessly hoping and praying for change. I'm not sure about you, but the cumulative sum of my bad decisions, lack of discernment, and utter life failures could carpet a continent. Even so. God causes everything to work together for those who love him, whether we deserve it or not. If this truth is good enough for heroes of the faith like Paul, who killed a Christian or two before writing most of the New Testament, it's good enough for me.
Lamentations 3:22 says, "His mercies are new every morning." Translation: It doesn't matter if you've now accrued two divorces under your belt: You can become relationally whole. And if you've crawled back to that vice, God isn't keeping count of your slip-ups. Lost your temper with our kids (again) after you swore you'd be more patient? God can and will give you the spirit of self-control. It just takes time. Yes, there are instances when God instantly delivers us or brings an answer, but most times, it's a step-by-step experience with Jesus at our sides.
#4 If We're Not Dead Yet, It's Not Too Late
In this youth-obsessed culture, it's common to feel pressured to achieve, overcome, and accomplish all our life's goals before age 40 or even 30. I remember hitting 35 and feeling so disappointed that I hadn't fulfilled my dream of publishing a book before 40. I eventually did, a few years later, but I remember wondering why on Earth I felt so panicked.
I often reflect on Joel 2:28-32, "In the last days, I will pour out my Spirit on all people; your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams." Why would God bless older people with dreams if it's ever too late for dreams to be realized? Think of all the people who were legitimately old, let alone past 30, when God had just started his "good work" in them. Sarah had a baby at 90 after she'd given up hope. Elizabeth's barren womb was dry as dirt until God gifted her with a baby, and Ruth is estimated to be 40 years old (very old for the time) when she married Boaz and conceived a son, and we all know about Abraham. We shouldn't allow this frenetic, achievement-based culture convince us it's ever too late to experience change.
Not knowing if we'll ever become better versions of ourselves can be scary and unsettling. But God knows the struggle, and he's faithful. And from all I observe about Jesus in the Bible, He was never in a rush. God's in it for the long haul. He sees the big picture and understands what it really takes to grow. He wants the best for us and is 100 percent committed and invested in our growth. After all, He's the one who imparted our talents, abilities, and passions in the first place. Why wouldn't He see them to fruition?
When we learn to trust God completely, we'll be more confident and more peaceful while we allow Him control to work everything for your good, in His timing. You are not the exception to Philippians 1:6: "…He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Amen!
Originally published Thursday, 14 December 2023.
