I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. – Psalm 34:4

The older woman had endured many years alone because she had never married. Her acquaintances often wondered what had gone wrong. She was certainly a pretty woman and pleasant to be around. Yet she knew what had happened. It was God’s plan. When she graduated from college, she made a decision to go to the mission field. God opened the appropriate doors, and she stepped through, believing He would lead her to the place where she could not only serve Him but also meet her future husband.

Secretly, she had spent hours daydreaming about how they would serve God together, but her dreams were shattered when a sudden illness forced her to return to the states. For months, she rested in bed at her mother’s home, hoping she would be able to return to her work. But that time never came, and sorrow began to fill her heart. She wondered why God had allowed her to become so chronically ill. Had she displeased Him in some way? Was He punishing her?

Her pastor set her straight. “On this side of heaven, we cannot know why God allows certain things to happen. However, we know that He is a good God and only has our best in mind. He works all things together for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). He’s not angry. He is simply redirecting you to the next step that will lead to an even greater blessing.”

From that point on, she made up her mind to trust God for her future. Soon she was teaching English at a Bible college. Over the years, she became engrossed in her work and in the lives of her students. Thoughts of marriage faded. Then, after her days of teaching were done, she moved to a retirement community.

There she met a wonderful man—a widower and someone she believed God had placed in her life at just the right moment. Soon they were married, and she was filled with peace because she had waited for God’s timing and had received His very best.

Check out more from Dr. Tony Evans @tonyevans.org