"Jesus is delaying His return because the church isn't ready, so it's my fault."
How it sounds in your head: If Jesus hasn't come back yet, maybe it's because Christians like me aren't good enough. Maybe if I was more holy, prayed more, or evangelized more, He would return. The delay feels like it's on me. I'm holding up God's plan.
"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
-- 2 Peter 3:9Religion putting the return of Christ on human performance instead of God's sovereignty - enemy making you responsible for God's timeline.
He's heard preachers say 'Jesus is waiting for the bride to get ready' or 'we need to finish the Great Commission first,' making him feel like Jesus is stuck waiting on him to perform better.
The thief on the cross had zero time to 'get ready,' evangelize, or prove himself holy. He just believed, and Jesus said 'TODAY you will be with Me in Paradise.' Jesus didn't need the thief to be ready - the thief just needed Jesus to be willing. And He was.
I REFUSE the lie that Jesus is delayed because I'm not good enough. IT IS WRITTEN that the Lord is patient, not slow, and His timing is based on HIS mercy, not my performance. I am not responsible for the return of Christ - I am responsible to REST in His finished work. IT IS WRITTEN that Jesus said 'It is finished,' not 'it's on you now.' The BARAK blessing means I am accepted in the Beloved, not because I earned it but because He gave it. His timeline is HIS, not mine. I don't hold up God's plan; I participate in God's goodness. I am free from the burden of trying to speed up eternity. I rest in His sovereignty.
Your Father isn't tapping His foot waiting for you to get it together before Jesus returns - He's watching you like the thief on the cross, saying 'You're already in' before you did a single thing. He's RUNNING toward you with acceptance, not demands.