Suddenly (part II)
Have you been waiting for something miraculous to happen? Have you been expecting a change in a particular area of your life or a shift in a situation? Have you been remaining obedient to God for what seems life forever, and still waiting for the revelation of the “why?” or the fruit of your faithfulness? Let me encourage you, hold on and never cease from obeying, your “suddenly” is coming but I want you to consider another factor to your waiting…The Lord’s work in you.
Philippians 1:6 reminds to remain “confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Our obedience is how we work [walk] out of our salvation and by means of our obedience is our hearts being made ready for the blessings of The Lord to come. As Jesus sees and weighs our heart, He also prioritizes the state of its condition and proximity to Him because where our treasure is, our heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). So, whereas we are consumed with wanting to experience tangible fruit of our obedience and efforts, we are blind to see and therefore neglected from understanding the work taking place within us, preparing for an unseen fruit.
When we remain obedient, God is not just cooking up external evidence, but also internal ones as well, where we are renewed in spirit (Ephesians 4:23) purified in heart and steadfast in our faith (Psalm 51:10)), and transformed by our minds and our increasing knowledge of him (Romans 12:2; Colossians 3:10). Obedience is to reflect our intimate relationship with Jesus, steady state of being attuned to His voice and to provide room through a surrendered heart for him to continue the work he has started in us. This work will not only sanctify us more into Jesus but also is precisely the work that needs to be completed for us to continuously endure the present season we are in and prepare us for the season and fruit that is to come. Let me provide this example from my own life of how obedience stewards a heart ready for a “suddenly” to endure.
Last summer Jesus called me to serve at church. I didn’t know anyone, but I trusted His command and obeyed. I served for months on a bi-weekly basis (serve one, sit one, serve one, sit one). There were days when I did not feel like serving but I remained faithful and continued to serve with backdrop thought of, “I can’t wait until next week where I can just sit and enjoy the service.” I may not have been consistent with this schedule, but I made sure to serve each month. Now, in February 2026, out of nowhere (to me), I have this immense joy and eagerness to serve, so much so that I have elevated from serving bi-weekly to weekly. Initially, my heart was not settled into weekly serving but now I am able to reap the sowing of my obedience with this joy.
I do not know which suddenly you are waiting and hoping for, but I urge you to not give up. Keep striving to honor God through your obedience. Remain consistent with your faithfulness. Deny your flesh, take up your cross and follow him faithfully. You may feel your energy being drained and the enemy will seek to convince you that your time is being wasted but I sure you, obedience to the Lord God is never in vain.
“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16)
He is working miracles and feats in you that you cannot even fathom but will be in awe of once unveiled. I have this mantra of,
“God wants to complete His good work in you…so let Him!”
So let us stop resisting and let him finish his work in us during this time of what feels like long-suffering. For a God of overflow, he knows that the work he is completing in you is needed for the land you are about to enter and occupy (Deuteronomy 7:1). He will strengthen you with his mighty hand and provide you with the joy and peace you need to endure so long as you remain faithful and obey. I had no idea that this death to my flesh (sacrificing my time, comfort and preference of just sitting in service) would resurrect as a joy a joy to serve but suddenly, here it is. Most times these lessons aren’t about God making the world conducive to our comfort, but rather Him making our hearts prepared for the work he has planned for us. As we see through our Savior Jesus, with every act of obedience, every act of cross-bearing, every death to our flesh, there is a resurrection in the form of a suddenly.
For more encouragement on waiting for your suddenly, read “Suddenly” at https://remainencouraged.squarespace.com/posts/suddenly
