DON’T CONCLUDE THE STORY YET. 

Bankole’s mother was out for coffee with an old friend.

“I really don’t know what else to do,” she lamented. “He’s doing so well in his career, and I’m very proud of him. But he simply doesn’t seem interested in settling down. I have seen him out with a few ladies every once in a while, but he does not appear to be serious with any one of them. He hasn’t introduced anyone to his dad or to me, and you know how close we are. At this rate, when am I ever going to become a grandmother?”

Her friend listened quietly for a moment before responding.

“Darling, why are you concluding a story that God has not finished writing?”

“If you want my advice, I would tell you to trust God and stop being anxious about the future. But do not stop praying.”

Bankole’s mum eventually agreed to stop worrying and to keep praying. The friends enjoyed the rest of their time together and shared a word of prayer before going their separate ways.

Dear friends, how often do we jump to the wrong conclusions when God has not finished writing the story?

How often do we interpret God through an unfinished chapter of our lives?

Sometimes the middle of the story could appear to contradict what God has already said but the story never ends in the middle.

We see several examples of this in Scripture.

Joseph had a dream—a lofty dream of being in charge and in a position of authority—yet he was sold into slavery by his own brothers. The very ones who appeared to be under him in the dream!

Abraham had a promise that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore—yet Sarah remained barren for years.

David was anointed king amidst his brothers, who all appeared to be more suited to the position—yet he still spent years running from Saul.

Jesus said Lazarus’ sickness was not unto death—yet Lazarus died and was buried.

In each case, there was a period when somebody looking only at the circumstances could have asked:

“So what happened to what God said?”

But listen to what Habakkuk says:

“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

We are encouraged to wait because there is an appointed time.

And there is something in this particular translation that caught my attention:

“It will not prove false.”

Something can appear one way during the process and ultimately prove another way when the story reaches its appointed time.

Something else caught my attention:

“Though it linger…”

Lingering does not mean failing.

Lingering does not mean it will prove false.

Something may appear delayed without having failed. So let us not decide the outcome while the story is still unfolding.

There is no doubt that there will be moments when, standing right in the middle of a situation, we will be tempted to say:

“But this doesn’t look like what God promised. ”

And perhaps the answer is simply:

We are concluding too early.

A mathematical proof isn’t established halfway through the working.

Legally, a court case isn’t proved after the first witness.

A scientific hypothesis isn’t proved from the first observation.

Proof requires the evidence to run its course.

When we rush to finalise, we take today’s evidence and use it to write tomorrow’s conclusion.

Consider a seed planted in the ground.

Our first observation is that it has been buried. Looking at it from above the ground, it may appear that nothing is happening. Yet beneath the soil, a process has begun that we cannot see. Then one day, that seed breaks forth from the ground.

Perhaps there is something in your life today that appears completely contrary to what you believe God has said.

You have waited.

You have prayed.

And what you presently see does not resemble the promise at all.

Please do not conclude the story.

You may simply be standing in the middle of it.

Let us not pronounce an ending while God is still at work.

The Apostle Paul writes:

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it…”.  Philippians 1:6 KJV

Let God finish what He has begun.

And while we wait, let us do exactly what the writer of Hebrews tells us:

“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.”  Hebrews 10:23 NLT

God can be trusted.

He is a promise keeper.

So when the middle does not look like the ending He has promised, let us keep trusting Him.

When it appears to linger, keep trusting Him still.

When you are tempted to draw conclusions from what you see today, remember:

You cannot conclude a story that God has not finished writing.

The vision is yet for an appointed time.

Though it lingers, wait for it.

It will not prove false.

PLEASE DON’T CONCLUDE THE STORY YET! 

OLUYINKA EGO-MARTINS ©