We live in a culture that prizes speed, fast answers, quick results, immediate gratification. But God’s timeline doesn’t run on our clock. His purpose unfolds with patience, precision, and sometimes through experiences we don’t understand in the moment.
Have you ever noticed how often people survive situations that should have ended them, only to later step into something remarkable? Soldiers walking away from battle, patients recovering from terminal diagnoses, or even ordinary people spared in accidents, they often go on to impact lives in profound ways. I don’t believe these are coincidences. I believe these are divine appointments.
The Bible reminds us in Ecclesiastes 3:1: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” If your heart is still beating today, it means your purpose isn’t finished.
Think about Joseph, sold into slavery, thrown into prison, forgotten by men. Yet, through years of waiting and suffering, God was shaping him to become a leader who would save nations during famine. Or Paul, shipwrecked, beaten, left for dead, and yet preserved to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth. Their survival wasn’t luck. It was God’s timing.
When we go through near-death experiences or overwhelming trials, they become more than scars; they become preparation. God allows us to face the fire so that we can emerge refined, ready to step into the purpose He designed. Romans 8:28 assures us: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
So if you’ve ever wondered why you’re still here after what you’ve been through, consider this: you are alive because your assignment isn’t finished. God has a purpose that only you can fulfill. Be patient with His timing. The survival wasn’t the end of your story, it was the preparation for your calling.
Troy P Zehnder 