When God Says “Not Yet”

I knew it was coming. I’ve raised baby chicks before, so this wasn’t new territory for me.

However, for some reason, unbeknownst to me, I didn’t think I needed to rush on getting my husband to add a roof to the brooder box.

And then there he (he? Actually, let’s all collectively pray it’s a she, can we?) was. That little chick had hopped up on the edge of the brooder box, looking around at the new surroundings. I could see it’s little chicken head moving back and forth to look around. I’m sure it was debating whether to jump out into the whole new world they had just been exposed to.

Much to the chick’s disappointment, (he didn’t tell me, but I’m sure that’s how it felt) I walked over, scooped him up, and placed him back safely into the brooder box.

It didn’t last long though. Before I knew it, there the chick was again. Perched up on the edge of that box, once again torn between the choice on whether it would go back into the brooder box, or take a wild leap into the living room to explore a place it’s never been.

And then before I knew it there was another chick that flew up onto the edge of the box. And another.

Apparently chick #1 told all his friends there was a way out.

After about 24 hours of these shenanigans I finally texted my husband at work with video proof of the disobedience going on in the living room with a message attached, “We clearly need to deal with this tonight.”

The chicks didn’t know what I knew – that their box was safe and was protecting them. It kept them from the dangers of the world. It’s where they could huddle under the heat lamp to prevent their body temperature from going down too low, something that happens a lot quicker when they don’t have their full feathers. From their perspective, all they saw was a barrier that kept them from going where they thought was better.

The chicks will soon be able to be moved to a bigger space where they will experience a whole new world, but if they go too soon it can be detrimental to their health. They just need to wait. They aren’t strong enough yet, but they will be.

It got me thinking, I wonder how often we are like that with God? Just like those chicks, jumping before we are ready.

Sometimes God has us in a safe place, protecting us from the dangers of the world, but we think we know better. We push the boundaries, we jump on the ledge and we say, “God, I need something more – it’s better over there! I don’t want to wait! I’m going to do this my way.”

And then we jump on that ledge, determined to do what we want to do, but God gently picks us up, and puts us back in the place we are supposed to where we are safe. He closes doors. He shuts windows. He leaves obstacles in our way. And instead of realizing it’s because He’s taking care of us, the minute we get the chance, we jump on that ledge again, trying to open the door before we are strong enough to handle what’s on the other side.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”

We don’t always understand why God makes us wait, or why He keep us from certain things but 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

The verse says “in ALL things.” Not in just some things. It’s in everything He does. We can take comfort in knowing that God knows what He’s doing, and it’s for our good, not to cause us heartache. Sometimes when God says no, or wait, it’s because He is lovingly protecting us from things that would hurt us.

Jumping from the ledge might look exciting, but the safest place we can be is in God’s will, even when we don’t fully understand it.