June 13: You Are Not Behind

 

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (KJV)

“He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.”

Sharon Campbell-Danvers 
Kings Seventh-day Adventist Church 

 

There are moments in life when it feels as though everyone around you is moving ahead while you are struggling just to keep up. It can feel frustrating watching others appear more prepared, more successful, more accomplished, or seemingly farther along in life than you are. In those moments, comparison quietly creeps into the heart and whispers, “You are falling behind.”

I remember experiencing one of those moments while attending Shortwood Teachers College. There was a particularly challenging examination approaching, and like many students, I was trying to prepare as best as I could. There was another student who was known for always having access to past papers, so I asked if she could share any for that course. She told me she did not have any.

Deep down, I sensed she was not being truthful, but I left it alone and continued studying with what I had.

When the day of the exam arrived, I remember sitting in that examination room feeling pressured by time. The questions were difficult, and while others seemed confident, I struggled through the paper carefully, using every minute that was given. I even felt as though I needed more time. Meanwhile, the same student finished quickly and walked out long before many of us were done.

As I eventually left the room mentally exhausted, I overheard her telling someone how easy the exam was and how many questions had been repeated from past papers others had studied.

For a moment, I felt defeated.

It seemed like she had the advantage.

It seemed like she was ahead.

It seemed like I had struggled while others moved effortlessly.

But when the results came out, something unexpected happened.

I scored higher than she did.

That experience stayed with me because it taught me a lesson I would carry into adulthood: what appears ahead is not always ahead in God’s timing.

Sometimes we think people are progressing faster than us because we only see the surface. We compare our struggle to somebody else’s highlight moment. We compare our process to somebody else’s appearance of ease. But God’s hand works differently in every life.

Book of Ecclesiastes 3:11 reminds us that God “makes everything beautiful in His time.” Not our time. Not society’s timeline. Not the timeline created by comparison, pressure, or competition. God’s timing.

There are seasons when life feels delayed and everyone around you seems to be moving ahead. People are getting married, building careers, buying homes, launching businesses, completing degrees, or stepping into opportunities while you are still praying, waiting, struggling, or trying to figure things out. It is easy in those moments to feel forgotten or left behind.

But feeling behind does not mean you are behind.

Sometimes God allows us to walk through processes that others may never understand because He is building something deeper within us. What feels like delay may actually be preparation. What feels like slowness may actually be God establishing a stronger foundation in your life.

The truth is, we cannot fully understand the work God is doing while He is doing it. Ecclesiastes says that no one can completely comprehend the work of God from beginning to end. There are moments when God is protecting us through delay, maturing us through waiting, and strengthening us through struggle.

Had I focused only on how quickly someone else finished that exam, I would have assumed they were more successful. But quick is not always quality, and appearance is not always accuracy.

God never measures our lives by comparison.

He measures purpose by His divine plan.

Perhaps today you feel behind in some area of your life. Maybe you feel like time is catching up with you. Maybe you look around and wonder why others seem to be progressing faster. But this devotional is a reminder that God has not forgotten you. Your journey is unfolding according to His wisdom, not human timelines.

Stay faithful in your process.

Stay committed in your waiting.

Stay focused while God works on your story.

Because in the end, God knows exactly how to bring beauty out of every season at the right time.

You are not behind.

You are becoming.

Prayer

Father, help me to trust Your timing even when I feel delayed or discouraged. Forgive me for comparing my journey with others and measuring my life against human timelines. Remind me that You are carefully working behind the scenes, preparing me according to Your perfect plan. Teach me to remain faithful during seasons of waiting and confident in the process You have designed for my life. Help me to trust that what You have for me will come at the right time and in the right way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.