There’s a frustrating tension that nearly everyone feels at some point in life:
You want to know your purpose.
You even think you might have found it.
But everything seems to be on hold… or worse, falling apart.
You finally discover a calling, a passion, a person, or a plan that feels right—and then the doors don’t open. Or they open too slowly. Or they slam shut in your face.
You whisper, “God, why give me this desire if I’m not allowed to fulfill it?”
🎯 The Struggle for Purpose
Our culture teaches us to chase success fast—college at 18, career by 22, marriage by 25, kids, house, and financial freedom before 35. And when real life doesn’t look like that, people start to feel unwanted, unneeded, and unfulfilled.
But here’s the hard truth:
Purpose isn’t always revealed quickly—and it’s almost never on our timeline.
Look at Moses. He had a calling to lead Israel, but he spent 40 years in the desert tending sheep before God called him to lead. David was anointed king as a teenager, but didn’t sit on the throne for decades. Even Jesus waited until He was 30 to begin His ministry.
If God didn’t rush them, why do we think He’ll rush us?
⏳ The Clash of Timing
We confuse delay with denial.
But God isn’t saying “No”—He might just be saying “Not yet.”
“For the vision is yet for an appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay.”
— Habakkuk 2:3
God’s timing isn’t just different—it’s better.
But it doesn’t always feel better, especially when you’re hurting. When love feels one-sided. When your gifts go unnoticed. When opportunities fall through. It’s easy to think:
“If I mattered, wouldn’t I be doing something that matters?”
❤️ Reconciling Purpose and Pain
Here’s what you need to know:
You are not less valuable just because you’re in a waiting season.
You are not unworthy just because your purpose hasn’t bloomed yet.
You are not unloved just because someone else hasn’t recognized your worth.
God sees what others don’t.
He prepares in silence. He builds your strength in the dark.
He may be delaying the spotlight because your character still needs refining, or because someone else’s heart isn’t ready for what your purpose will impact.
🙏 What Can We Do in the Waiting?
- Be honest with God. Tell Him you’re hurting. God’s not offended by your pain; He welcomes it.
- Stay faithful with what’s in front of you. Purpose often begins in the little things—how you treat people, how you grow in character.
- Find your identity in who you are, not what you do. Purpose isn’t a job or a relationship—it’s about living a life that reflects Christ.
- Cling to the promises. God finishes what He starts. Period.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
— Romans 8:28
✨ Final Thought:
The delay is not your defeat. It’s preparation.
God’s purpose for you hasn’t expired—it’s maturing.
And when His timing meets your faithfulness, the result will be something far greater than what you were rushing toward.
So hold on. You’re not forgotten. You’re being formed.
Troy P Zehnder 