When You Feel Behind in Life: God’s Timing Is Still Perfect
Guest Post By: Alexia Jons
You weren’t supposed to feel this way.
By now, you thought you’d be further along — in your calling, your relationships, your purpose.
Instead, it feels like you’re sitting in the waiting room of your own life while everyone else gets called ahead of you. And honestly? You’re starting to wonder if God forgot your name.
This article isn’t about clichés or quick fixes.
It’s for the Christian woman who feels stuck between faith and frustration — still trusting God, but also quietly wondering:
“Why is it taking so long?”
“Did I miss something?”
“Is everyone moving forward… without me?”
Let’s talk about it — the loneliness of feeling behind, and the solid, immovable truth that God is not in a hurry — but He is never late.
The Silent Grief of Feeling “Behind”
Feeling behind isn’t always about envy.
Sometimes, it’s about grief — grieving the life you imagined you'd have by now.
Maybe you expected to be married — but you're navigating singleness and silence.
Maybe you thought you'd have children — but your arms are still waiting.
Maybe you were once full of dreams — but delays and disappointments dimmed the light.
Or maybe you’ve achieved “what you should” but still feel strangely… empty.
Here’s the truth nobody says out loud enough:
You can love God deeply and still feel disappointed with how life looks.
And you are not less faithful for wrestling with that tension.
God’s Timing: Personal, Not Generic
There’s a reason the Bible says “to everything there is a season” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). God doesn’t use cookie-cutter timelines. His timing is custom-tailored to each life — not to keep us waiting, but to make us whole.
Take Hannah, who prayed for a child for years while others around her gave birth easily. Her story in 1 Samuel reminds us that:
God's delays are often His preparations for something sacred.
Or think of Joseph — sold, imprisoned, and forgotten before rising to leadership. Every pause was part of a greater purpose: not just to promote him, but to shape him.
What if the season you're in isn't punishment or neglect…
…but the soil where roots are growing deep beneath the surface?
Four Lies We Believe When We Feel Behind
Let’s gently call out the subtle lies that sneak into our hearts — and replace them with truth:
Lie #1: “I’m falling behind.”
Truth: You're right on schedule for what God has called you to. Delay in the world’s eyes isn’t delay in His eyes. (Isaiah 55:8–9)
Lie #2: “Other people are doing it better.”
Truth: No one is ahead or behind in the Kingdom. We’re each running a race designed just for us. (Hebrews 12:1)
Lie #3: “God must be disappointed in me.”
Truth: God is not pacing heaven waiting for you to “catch up.” He delights in you now — not when you finally achieve something. (Zephaniah 3:17)
Lie #4: “My best days are behind me.”
Truth: If you’re still breathing, God’s not done writing. Your most beautiful chapters may be the ones ahead. (Philippians 1:6)
Trusting God’s Timing: What to Do When the Waiting Feels Heavy
Here are some practical ways to live well while waiting for what hasn’t yet come:
1. Name the disappointment, but don’t stay there.
God invites honesty. The Psalms are full of raw questions and open grief. Name what hurts — then bring it to Him.
2. Stop tracking others’ timelines like a scoreboard.
You’re not failing just because someone else is celebrating. Their gain is not your loss.
3. Celebrate the quiet fruit no one sees.
Patience. Growth. Surrender. These aren't small things — they are holy victories.
4. Practice joy today. Not when the prayer is answered — now.
Joy isn’t a reward for “arriving.” It’s a gift for the present. Start small: sunlight on your face, laughter with a friend, Scripture that lands deep.
A Sacred Reminder: Jesus Wasn’t in a Hurry Either
Jesus — the Savior of the world — lived 30 quiet years before His ministry began.
No platform. No big reveals. Just hidden faithfulness.
If the Son of God wasn’t rushed, why should we be?
Maybe what feels slow is actually sacred.
Maybe what looks like waiting is actually becoming.
Final Word: God Is Not Late — He’s Loving You in the Delay
When you feel behind in life, remember:
You’re not off course. You’re on holy ground.
The same God who saw you in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13–16) still sees you now — not just where you are, but where you’re going.
And His promise is this:
“I will fulfill the purpose I have for you.” — Psalm 138:8
Not maybe.
Not hopefully.
But will.
You are not behind.
You are held.
You are seen.
And you are exactly where God can reach you.
Even now.
OUR GUEST’S BIO:
Alexia Jons writes about Christian faith and spiritual growth, with a special focus on encouraging women to trust God's timing and find their identity in His truth. She is passionate about helping individuals and families engage with Scripture in practical ways and deepen their walk with Christ — especially during seasons of waiting, discouragement, or change. When she’s not writing, Alexia enjoys photography, quiet moments with her Bible, and spending time with her family. You can follow her on Facebook.
