Break the delay syndrome

One of the toughest segments of a journey is the delays. Don’t you just loath delays? I was once stuck on a plane that was delayed two hours. First, the air conditioning wasn’t working. Then, someone had a seizure. After that, we needed more fuel. Finally, we left. Hallelujah!

I did feel bad for the seizure victim. I sent up a quick prayer. To tell you the truth, the event was sobering. Have you ever had an event that snapped you out of your petty frustrations? The Bible encourages us, saying, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6, NIV) So we are to be anxious for nothing.

Is that a challenge for you? If it is, I’d like to encourage you to try these steps:

1. Ask God to help you.
2. Take three deep breaths and hold them for a few seconds each time. Breathing this way calms your body’s reaction.
3. Go to your happy place in your mind. Imagery has always been used by believers: “He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters.” (Psalms 23:2, NIV)
4. Invite someone into your journey. Talking to a trusted friend, pastor, or counselor can be so helpful.

Not all life delays can be fixed by these steps. Sometimes it takes a battle in prayer, teamwork, or trial and error. Delays can often take years to overcome.

I recently experienced the satisfaction of conquering a fifteen-year delay. The leaders of our school dreamed of having a real wood floor for our gym. We prayed for finances, but nothing seemed to happen. One day, I was sitting with two of our school administrators, working on a few important details. All of a sudden, I had this thought: “We need a real gym floor.” The principal shouted, “I have faith for that!” Twenty-four hours later, we had a promise for the gym floor. Breakthrough! Delays are not denials—they are just delays.

You are a miracle.

Your friend, Paul Marc Goulet