Suddenly…there’s no such thing!

Every time something good happens to somebody else in terms of ministry or some significant blessing our human nature cries out for something sudden and wonderful to happen to us.  The truth is, however, there is always a story to be told and a well trodden path to be followed that leads to the “moment” of victory.  There is no such thing as “suddenly”.  Nothing just happens, appears or suddenly moves forward.  The difficulty is that most of us do not recognise that mighty and wonderful hand of God “…making all things work together for good…” (Romans 8:28) irrespective of whoever or whatever the issues are. 

It is time to stop wishing your life away waiting for something to happen and recognise that it has already started.  If you were a David always wanting to be a warrior for God what would your attitude have been when asked to watch a few sheep, play a harp, and practice with a sling shot when all you ever really wanted was to be a warrior with his own sword and battle to fight?  David’s chance came suddenly but his preparation was meticulous. Read: 1 Samuel chapter 16 &17. 

In Malachi 3:1 we read, “…the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to His temple…”. Dear believer the Lord may appear in an instant first in grace and then in judgement but not out off a whim but as the result of meticulous divine planning and timing.  There is no such thing as suddenly.

In the gospel of Luke 2:13 the word declares that, “ …suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts”.  They may have appeared in an instant but they were part of a precisely planned crescendo designed by God Himself to celebrate the birth of His dear Son.  There are no last minute adjustments with God. There is no such thing as suddenly.

In the account of the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:2 we read that, “…suddenly there came a sound from Heaven like a rushing mighty wind”.  Was this not however the reason why Jesus came, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart I will send Him unto you”, (John 16:7).  This was no surprise, this was not an afterthought it was the perfect plan of God unfolding without hic-up or hindrance.  There is nothing that happens suddenly and out of the blue in God’s Kingdom.

As Paul travelled to Damascus with murderous intent, there seemed to be none either willing or able to stop him, “…suddenly there shone round about him a light from heaven…”, Acts 9:3.  Did Jesus panic feeling the need to intervene? Christ’s statement in v5 and Paul’s total surrender and submission in v6 tells a clear story.  It reveals a deep and drawn out process in which Paul had been convicted and challenged no matter how hard he tried to “kick” against the tug of the Holy Spirit.  There is no such thing as suddenly.

Wake up leader wake up believer for God is leading you to a “suddenly” in every issue of life and ministry.  Very young children draw one dimensionally.  There is no real sense of depth be it a character or a scene.  Big people with skill draw in 3 dimensions.  In fact the accomplished artist whether sketching or painting will draw in a manner that seems to lead nowhere to the inexperienced eye.  A line here a little shading in somewhere else and “suddenly” there is a face, a tree, a clear picture forming from apparently nothing.  Have you ever noticed how an artist gets a full 3 dimensional effect by simply shading one or two obscure parts of a picture?  The unskilled would try to create the same affect by drawing in all the wrong places and predictably get a less than satisfactory result.  Concerning your calling and indeed any other legitimate issue trust God that He actually knows what He is doing even if some things don’t seem to link together according to your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-8). Big people need to trust a big God to do a complete job even if they do not understand everything about His plans all of the time.