“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if He doesn’t, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
Daniel 3:16-18 NKJV
It is always a humbling experience to stand behind a sacred desk and deliver words of comfort and encouragement to families when their loved one has transitioned from this life. But as I look at this moment and season through the lens of reality and human experience, it is a rather difficult and arduous task when it’s your loved one and your family member that you must eulogize.
I have stood at many sacred desks and eulogized many of my family members—those who played a very intricate part in my upbringing. In March 2023, I assumed the position to eulogize and celebrate the life of my bonus dad, Rick. Both my husband and I were humbled to serve God and His people in this capacity. It was truly a celebration of his life as a believer. But little did I know what was coming eight months later.
On November 25, 2023, my heart skipped every beat when my husband of almost 30 years unexpectedly transitioned from this life into the presence of the Lord. He had only been home from a football game for eight minutes before life took this sudden turn. I am a woman of undaunting faith, and my relationship with God means everything to me. But this unexpected turn shook me to the core of my beliefs. In essence, this was not the kind of “long life” for our marriage or our family that I had envisioned. This was not even in alignment with the decrees of victory I would speak out loud daily in prayer regarding our life together.
Like many of you, I have seen God do the miraculous in the lives of so many people. I have seen Him supernaturally heal what doctors said was terminal and untreatable. I have seen Him cause a heart to beat after sitting next to someone who coded twice in a hospital bed. Even for myself, I have experienced God heal me from barrenness when the doctors told me for 10 years that I would never have children. So, I have seen the undeniable handiwork of God do the impossible. Yet, my expectation of what God would do on that Saturday night was not my reality.
As a matter of transparency, my heart broke into a million pieces. I can even say that I was briefly disappointed, as the way God manifested Himself so many times before seemed to have taken a different turn. Thus, the interrogation of the heart began: “Why my husband?” and “Why now?” These questions flowed like a river. Since I had not broken my fellowship with God, and He spoke to me about everything else, “Why didn’t I get a sign of this abrupt detour?” Could it be that He is just God? Could it be that He is the Creator of all things, from whom all things were made, and He owes me no explanation? Or was He revealing to me a side of Himself that I had not known, let alone paid attention to in times past?
If I were to poll any room filled with people, many of us would say we have asked for healing or a breakthrough in one area of our lives or another—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. In my almost 53 years of life, I can say I’ve needed and asked God to heal and manifest breakthroughs in all three areas. But I’ve also realized that God’s answer doesn’t always look like my request.
THREE TRUTHS ABOUT GOD’S RESPONSES
I’ve had a lot of time to reflect in the presence of God about the moment my husband transitioned, and the Spirit of the Lord made three things very clear:
- There Are Some Things God Does Suddenly.
The scripture says in Isaiah 48:3, “I have declared the former things from the beginning; they went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.” Similarly, Acts 16:26 says, “Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains were loosed.”
- There Are Some Things God Does Eventually.
In Exodus 5:22-23, Moses cried, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.” God’s response came later, in Exodus 6:1: “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.’” In Exodus 7:1. God gave Moses the strength to continue confronting Pharaoh with the word of God. What happened when Moses kept speaking the Word of God? God moved to accomplish what His Word said, and Pharaoh eventually let the children of Israel go. It doesn’t matter if God responds to our request suddenly or eventually; our response is to ALWAYS give Him the glory, because HE IS STILL GOD!
- But If He Doesn’t…
Yes, there are some things God will do for us suddenly. Yes, there are some things that God will do for us eventually. And there are some things that we must painfully and faithfully realize are simply not in the will of God to do; at least not in the way that we expected or desired. This truth became my reality the night my husband transitioned. The three Hebrew boys in Daniel 3:16-18 exemplified unwavering faith: “If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace… But if He doesn’t, let it be known… we will not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” These young, captive Israelites coined a prophetic statement that awakened my understanding of God in a new way; they said, "...But if he doesn’t..." There are some who would like to introduce you to the God who does a thing suddenly or immediately. Others would introduce you to the God who will move in your life eventually. However, I’d love to introduce you to the God who may not answer in the manner of your request but will require another dimension of your faith. Let me introduce you to the God who may not come in the way you would like for Him to. Let me introduce you to the God whose answer often looks nothing like your request. The three Hebrew boys introduced a deeper perspective of faith that says, “…But if he doesn’t…”, deliver us - HE IS STILL GOD
HE IS STILL GOD
No matter what season you find yourself in, remember this: God is still able, faithful, and sovereign. Even if He doesn’t answer the way you desire, He is still good. He is still God. Today, shift your perspective and choose not to be mad with God because He won’t let your plan work. The scripture says in Proverbs 16:9, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
Their response revealed a faith not dependent on God answering their request as they hoped but rooted in His unchanging nature.
TRUSTING GOD’S HIGHER WAYS
Over the past few months, I’ve learned to trust Isaiah 55:8-9: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’
Jeremiah 29:11 confirms this truth when it says, “‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,’ says the Lord, ‘thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.’”
It became eternally apparent to me that God didn’t allow my husband’s transition to harm me. His ways are higher, His thoughts are higher, and His plan is always for good and not evil. Though it didn’t feel like it at the time, God was working something exceeding, abundantly above all I could ask or think.
PRAYER
Father God, we have all seen You move in ways unimaginable. You are the same God yesterday, today, and forever. Help us to remain fully persuaded in Your goodness, even in seasons of uncertainty. Strengthen us to trust in Your higher ways and remind us that Your plans for us are always for good. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
DAILY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE
Spend time reflecting on moments when God’s answers did not align with your requests. Write about these experiences in a journal, focusing on the following questions:
- How did you initially feel about the outcome? Be honest with your emotions, whether they were disappointment, confusion, or acceptance.
- What evidence of God’s faithfulness did you see, even if it was not immediately apparent?
- How has this experience shaped your understanding of God’s character and His higher ways?
Finally, commit to a time of prayer, asking God to strengthen your faith in His plans. As an act of surrender, write out your own “But if He doesn’t” declaration, acknowledging His goodness and sovereignty even when His answers differ from your desires.
By intentionally practicing gratitude and surrender, you will cultivate a deeper trust in God’s plan and a steadfast confidence in His unchanging character.
Published on Jan 20 @ 12:38 AM EDT
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