Why isn't anything happening?!

{Remembering this fun trip from last year and re-reminding myself again. I always need to remember this, especially in the areas of our lives where we’re called to obey God and persevere, but we just don’t see any change, any results, any movement. Or perhaps you’re praying for someone else and don’t see anything happening. I pray this story encourages you on the journey…}

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I hadn’t been on a Ferry since I was a kid. I had memories of standing on an open-deck, leaning over a rail, sea-breeze blowing my hair, looking out at some beautiful Canadian vista. So I was excited for the Ferry over to Whidbey Island.

We thought we’d catch the 4:30pm Ferry, just in time to catch the sunset as we crossed over.

We caught the 6pm Ferry just in time to see nothing. It was pitch dark.

We walked up to the upper-deck, which was all enclosed and resembled the DMV–people looking depressed, sitting around waiting. I sat down and opened my book and waited for the Ferry to move.

But we just sat there. And sat there. When will we take off from shore? I wondered. I could hear the motor whirring, but we never moved. I squinted my eyes to look out the window, but everything was pitch black. We just sat there, never moved.

Then, just when I thought I’d go crazy sitting there, not moving, a voice came over the intercom: “We have arrived at Whidbey Island. Please return to your cars and disembark.”

Huh? We were moving that whole time and I didn’t even know it? How could I not feel it? 

Apparently, the Ferry is so big that you can’t even feel it move. Unless you can see out the window, it’s impossible to tell whether or not it’s moving. And since it was dark, I just couldn’t tell.

I thought we were just sitting still, but next thing I knew we were there.

It’s sounds cheesy, but isn’t that true with God too? Lately everywhere I turn I hear stories of how God does more than we can ever imagine, but it takes longer than we expect. As I read The Circle Maker and Rees Howells, Intercessor and watch men like Richard Stearns (who didn’t step into his “calling” until age 47) and realize that so often we feel like nothing is happening. Years go by and we wait and pray and wonder where on earth God is. We pray and wait and look around and wonder, Why aren’t we moving?? 

But then, just when you lease expect it, a voice alerts you:

You’re there.

It’s done. 

All the time we thought we were standing still, God was really moving us right along, without us even knowing it. And if a Ferry is so big that we can’t feel the movement, imagine what it’s like to be traveling “on” God!

He’s so big we sometimes can’t even feel His movement until the whole journey is over. 

For me, this just speaks encouragement. When we feel like nothing’s happening, keep trusting, praying, and relying on the God of the unseen.

It might be dark outside, but God is big, and He’s faithfully moving us along. 

Trusting Him, with you. Thanks for reading.