Delayed is not denied

I left work later than I needed to that evening, and I was trying to make it to my six o'clock class. Instead of taking my normal route, I decided to try a different way. I told myself that surely there would be no traffic if I went this way.

It started out great. The road was open, the cars were moving, and I was excited about my decision. I remember thinking that I had found the secret shortcut.

Then I hit traffic. I am not talking about a little slowdown. I am talking about bad traffic, the kind where you look up and realize you are not going anywhere anytime soon. Instantly, I began to question myself. Why did I come this way? What was I thinking?

As I sat there, the cars in front of me started to turn around one by one. I saw an opening where I could turn around too, and I did not take it. More cars turned around, another opening came, and I still did not take it. Then suddenly there was nowhere left to turn. I was committed to this route whether I liked it or not.

The entire time I sat in that traffic, I was freaking out. I kept telling myself that I was going to be late, that I was going to miss my class, and that I should have just gone my normal way. I had started to lose hope. I was fully convinced that I was not going to make it.

Then something happened. I reached a certain point in the road, and the traffic simply opened up. The cars were flowing smoothly, and I sat there in awe asking myself, what traffic? A moment ago I was stuck, and now the way in front of me was clear.

In the end, I made it to class on time. I had enough time to get there, change my clothes, and get settled before class began, without rushing at all.

Somewhere on that open road, the Lord showed me something. The traffic was never the end of the road. It was only a part of it. So many times we make a decision, we step out in faith, and the moment we hit a hiccup, we start to question the very thing we chose. When we see other people turning around, abandoning the ship, or changing their minds, that doubt grows even louder. Something happens, though, when we push through. When we follow through on what God placed in front of us, He works it out. That evening, He did exactly that.

Pause with me for a moment. Think about the decision you made earlier this year that you were so excited about. Maybe it was a goal for your marriage, a new rhythm with your children, a step of faith, or a dream you finally said yes to. Where are you with it now? Are you sitting in the traffic, wondering why you ever chose this road? Are you watching others turn around and quietly asking yourself if you should do the same?

Scripture Reflection

"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 2:3 (NIV)

What feels like lingering to us is not lateness to God. The appointed time is still the appointed time, even when the road in front of us looks backed up for miles.

So what does a traffic jam on an ordinary evening have to do with your heart, your home, and your faith? It turns out it has more to do with them than I expected.

Heart Truths

Delayed is not denied.

A hiccup does not mean you made the wrong decision. A slow road is not the same as a wrong road. Resistance on the journey is not proof that God has left the journey.

Other people turning around is not your instruction. Their exit is not your assignment. You can honor someone else's choice without making it your own.

In marriage, a slow season does not mean you chose wrong or loved wrong. It may simply mean you are in the stretch of road that requires you to keep showing up.

In motherhood, the consistency you are pouring into your children may feel like it is going nowhere. The fruit is often waiting just past the place where you felt most stuck.

In faith, you have been given the grace to ride this road all the way through. God does not give you grace to start something and then withhold the grace to finish it.

Sometimes the open road is just past the place where you wanted to quit.

Loving Well in Action

Here is how you can keep moving this week:

1. Name the decision you are tempted to turn back from. Write it down in one sentence. Seeing it in front of you helps you separate the decision itself from the frustration of the delay.

2. Stop measuring your road by other people's exits. When you notice yourself comparing, pause and ask, "Did God tell me to turn around, or did I just see someone else do it?"

3. Speak to the delay. Each morning this week, say out loud, "Delayed is not denied. I will make it at the appointed time." Let your words lead your feelings instead of the other way around.

4. Choose one act of follow through today. We are in the fourth quarter of the year. Pick one thing you started this year and take one small, concrete step toward finishing it before December 31.

A LoveNote

This is your reminder that you did not choose wrong just because the road got hard. I see you sitting in the traffic, watching others turn around, and wondering if you missed your chance. You have not missed it. The God who placed you on this road already knows where it opens up. Keep your hands on the wheel, my friend. You are going to make it, and you are going to make it on time.

If you want a simple way to make love notes a daily habit, the Daily Love Note Kit was made for exactly this. You can find it at www.dailylovenotekit.com.

Your LoveNote Challenge

Who needs to hear "keep going" from you this week? Maybe it is your husband, who is pushing through a hard season at work. Maybe it is your child, who is tempted to quit something they started. Maybe it is a friend who is watching everyone around her turn back. Maybe it is you.

Write them a love note this week that reminds them a slow road is not a wrong road. If you need somewhere to start, try this: "I see you pushing through, and I want you to know that delayed is not denied. I believe you are going to make it because..."

Finish With Intention

We are in the final quarter of this year, and this is not the time to turn back. You may have hit setbacks. You may have slowed down more than you planned. You may have watched others abandon the very road you are still on. None of that means the road is closed.

Do not turn back. Do not stop. Do not quit prematurely.

The journey may not be easy, and it may not be fast, but it is yours, and you have been given the grace to ride it through. Keep pushing through the traffic. The open road is coming, and you will arrive at the appointed time.

Grab your copy of Love Him Well: The Daily Love Note Kit, made to help you love with intention every single day. Find it here: www.dailylovenotekit.com.