In 2004, Bishop Eddie Long released a song called, “Suddenly”. The beginning of the song begins like this, “There’s been a change in me. Once blind but now I see. God gave me victory. And he did it suddenly. And he did it suddenly.” I actually like the song. However, if I’m being transparent, I struggled in my spiritual life because of this song. I needed God to move “SUDDENLY” as the song says, but God didn’t move suddenly in many areas of my life. It led to many questions. Many days and nights of wondering if I had done something wrong—maybe I wasn’t living right or maybe I wasn’t saved at all. One of these questions were “What if God Doesn’t Do It Suddenly”?   

When we examine the character of God, you and I must understand that God is sovereign. This means that God reserves the right and has the power to do whatever He wants to do, whenever He wants to do it, and however He desires to do it. Psalm 115 verse 3 says, “Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes.” None of us loves to wait. If you are like me, patience is one of those areas that I struggle with. We live in a “I want it now society”, that microwave mentality. But in God’s world, there are times where we simply must wait. When we think about waiting, all through the Bible men and women had to WAIT on God and His timing. There are countless stories where the lives of God’s people did not happen suddenly. There was Hannah who was barren who prayed for years for a child. We have David who was running for his life from King Saul. Job had lost everything he owned and suffered mightily because the fact is God did not deliver him “suddenly”. Then Paul persecuted the Church for many years. All of these men and woman had to wait on God, His timing, and His deliverance from their situations.   

If the truth is told and if I take this song literally, it took many of us months or years to stop cursing, drinking, or putting to death our old life, our old ways. Living a life sold out for Christ is a process. I was missing this vital component and understanding of how this walk and what this Jesus thing really meant. I am reminded of Romans 6:6 that says, “We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.” Again, the life of a believer is a process. Some things will come easily but other areas in our lives will take time for the Holy Spirit to shave off us.      

Many of us forget about the words sanctification and growing in Christ. 2 Peter 3:18 reminds us about growing in Christ with these words, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” You see, God starts the work in each of us when we place our faith in Jesus. With the help of the Holy Spirit, He will not only teach us, but He will enable us to grow in Jesus and in God’s Word.

    So, what is your answer to “What if God Doesn’t Do It Suddenly”? Well, my answer is simple…..like Charles Stanley would always say, “Obey God and leave the questions to Him.”