God Uses Time to Help You Grow

[God Uses Time to Help You Grow](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) Current Teaching Series [Trusting God’s Timing in Your Life](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) [Listen to Today's Broadcast](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) [God Uses Time to Help You Grow](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) By Rick Warren — December 21, 2019 [Facebook](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) [Twitter](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) [Pinterest](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) [Email](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) [Devotional image from Rick Warren](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) “At the right time I will hear your prayers. On the day of salvation I will help you” (Isaiah 49:8 NCV). the right time, God can do anything instantly. In Isaiah 60:22, God says, “I am the Lord, and when it is time, I will make these things happen quickly” (NCV). This is hard for us to accept because God’s waiting room is sometimes the most difficult place in life. We’re in God’s waiting room when we’re in a hurry for something to happen but God isn’t. Maybe you’re in a hurry to graduate or get married or close a big deal. You’re watching the time get shorter and shorter, and you say, “God, there isn’t a whole lot of time left. This either has to happen now or it’s not going to happen at all.” But God isn’t subject to time. Because he created time, he operates outside of time. That’s why the Bible says in Psalm 90:4 that a thousand years can seem like a few hours to God. He uses time to test your faith and to build your character. While you’re working on your goal, God is working on you. And God’s much more interested in you than in what you’re trying to accomplish, because you’re not taking your accomplishments to heaven. You’re only taking your character. A lot of times we think we’re waiting on God for something to happen, like a prayer to be answered. God says, “You’re not waiting on me. I’m waiting on you. I’m preparing you. I’m testing your faith and trying to mature you, because the blessing I want to give you is so much bigger than you can handle right now. Will you trust me?” Delays can be part of God’s design, to teach you to trust him and to grow up in your character. Isaiah 49:8 says, “At the right time I will hear your prayers. On the day of salvation I will help you.” Not “might”—God will hear and answer and help, when the time is right. [PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) Talk About It - What are you waiting for God to do in your life? - In what ways do you think God wants you to grow while you wait? - Do you want God to find you faithful in the waiting room of life? How does this show in the way you respond, both internally and externally, to delays? [Facebook](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) [Twitter](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) [Pinterest](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) [Email](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r [Get 365 Day Devotional Open Doors when you give a gift to support Daily Hope](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) Your life is shaped by the doors you walk through and those you walk past. Pastor Rick Warren encourages you to walk through the door that leads to greater intimacy with God in his brand new 365-day devotional, Open Doors. Pastor Rick’s 365-day devotional will help you . . . • Discern which doors in life to walk through, and which to walk past • Develop a deeper relationship with the Lord • Experience greater love, trust and freedom [LEARN MORE](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) Includes 2 full-length teaching CDs from Pastor Rick's series Trusting God's Timing in Your Life. [LEARN MORE](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r [Series Summary](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) Message 1: Trusting God’s Timing in Your Life Message 2: The Rest of the Story [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r)[Twitter](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) [Instagram](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) [Linkedin](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) Enjoy today's devotional? Listen to Pastor Rick’s daily audio teaching at [PastorRick.com](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) Did someone forward this devotional to you? [Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) As the founding pastor of Saddleback Church with his wife Kay, Dr. Rick Warren leads a 30,000-member congregation in California with campuses in major cities around the world. As an author, his book [The Purpose Driven Life](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r) is one of the best-selling nonfiction books in publishing history. It has been translated into 74 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in all formats. His book The Purpose Driven Church was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the century. Rick also founded The PEACE Plan to address five global issues—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. You can listen to Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope, his daily 25-minute audio teaching, and sign up for his free daily devotionals at [PastorRick.com](JJmBbNbN-:m:1:2618166767:06F31A3DFD5C908DD8FD511D87524D8F:r). © 2019 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe by clicking the link below. This message was intended for: {EMAIL} You were added to the system December 23, 2016. For more information [click here](. [Unsubscribe](