Delayed But Delighted

Pastor Shirley Mendiola

“Then the LORD replied, ‘Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” 
-Habakkuk 2:2-3

How true these words are to my life. The fulfillment of God’s promises to us may be delayed, but it will surely come to pass. For whatever He said, He will do. Whatever He promised, He will fulfill.
 
On September 23, 2001, the Lord gave me a word. He said through His servant, that I will serve Him full-time in the ministry, by bringing me to Canada to pastor a church. And so the next year, I resigned from my job, and applied for a Canadian visa. However, I was denied three times!
 
But I did what I could. I continued to serve God full-time from that moment on, not yet in Canada, but in Manila. And the Lord was so gracious that I was able to pioneer a church that year. This year, it will be her 12th Anniversary, with two Sunday service Outreaches under her.
 
I was so contented then. I was pastoring three churches by the grace of God, preaching, teaching, seeing God’s miraculous ways of transforming lives. I was so busy serving the Lord and His people that I have already forgotten His promise twelve years ago.
 
But God didn’t forget. He will not forget. It was His promise. It will be fulfilled, in His way, in His time!
 
It just came through a text message. I need to prepare the necessary documents for my Canadian Visa application. At first I hesitated, will it be my fourth denial?
 
I submitted all my documents, and in two weeks’ time, I was holding my passport with approved Canadian visa! Another two weeks and I was on a plane to Canada!
 
Truly God fulfills His promises to His delight and glory! He did it to me; He will do it to you, too!

1. Have a revelation from the Lord for your life. Constant meditation of His words and prayer will help us receive it from God.
2. Do what you can do. Entrust the Lord the rest.
3. Keep yourself busy serving the Lord and His ministry while waiting for God’s perfect time.