" /> Why Hasn't It Happened to Me Yet? - Chloe M. Gooden

Why Hasn’t It Happened to Me Yet?

Why Hasn’t It Happened To Me Yet? : Perception vs. Reality 

Waiting on God to answer a prayer? Wondering why He hasn’t restored you from a painful experience?

Join the crowd. 

I have no doubt we all are waiting on God to answer a prayer or restore us and it can get frustrating when you feel it has been a long wait. You start questioning if He hears you, will ever do it for you and if He even cares. 

Understandable. 

When we are waiting we can sometimes feel like God is absent in our lives, when in reality, He never left. 

Today, let’s talk about how we are probably feeling during the wait versus what God is doing. 

  1. Silent Season  
  • There have been times that I’ve asked God multiple times for a particular outcome or desire. I asked and I asked. I prayed and I prayed. Yet; nothing. It started to make me feel as if God wasn’t listening or didn’t care. I was struggling. I was suffering. Yet; I kept thinking, “Where are you, God?” I felt like I wasn’t being heard nor guided. I was in the season by myself and God was silent. 

Psalm 69:3 “I’m worn out from calling for help. My throat is very dry. My eyes grow tired looking for my God.”  

 2. Wilderness Season 

  • Anytime I found myself in the “silent season”, I felt the need to take steps on my own to fix the issue. I’m a solutions person. A fixer. A take-action type of woman. I thought that maybe God was just waiting on me to take a leap of faith and He would meet me where I leaped. However, I felt ill-guided and lost. I found myself asking others, “How do I know what to do?” or having conversations surrounding the idea that I was lost. It was frustrating because I desired to do God’s will and listen attentively, but He wasn’t saying anything. So, not only did I feel He was silent, but amid the silence, I also felt left in the wilderness with no direction.  
  • Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

 3. Giving Up Season 

  • After the Silent Season and Wilderness Season; I give up. I start to think that maybe it was not God’s will for my desire to come to fruition. I start to think that maybe it will be a long time before my desire will come to pass and I let it go and also let go of my desire. I don’t like the feeling of emptiness or a hole in my life due to a lack of a desire being filled that’s not. So; I forget the desire and stop asking God for it, I accept that it just won’t happen and move on. 

Psalm 37:7 “Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act.” 

These are the usual steps I take when I am waiting on God. All three are seasons you can see within the Bible that multiple people go through and experience similar feelings. However, in each story, you will see later what God was doing. The reality of it all. 

  1. He’s Not Being Silent. He is Preparing 
  • In silent seasons God is usually very active. He is preparing you and most of all preparing that desire or place of the desire. I can remember desiring to possibly start teaching online. I asked, but I was denied. I decided to still teach for the school and a couple of months later, I decided to move due to a life change. One week I was out of work and I vividly remember God telling me, “Ask them to let you teach online when you leave.” I didn’t have the courage but I asked anyways. Little did I know that my superior supervisor had brought up the option of me teaching online the first time I applied, however, my immediate supervisor didn’t want me to. However, at this time, I had a new immediate supervisor and she was all for it. I had to wait until the former supervisor left and be replaced for God to answer it. God is preparing the place for you. Don’t move too quickly and miss your blessing and/or go out of His timing to receive your blessing. That is a major mistake. Be patient. He is preparing the place for you and He is also preparing you to be ready to receive it.  

John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” 

2. You aren’t Lost. The Enemy Is Trying to Distract You. 

  • When we are lost, we did look for guidance in places outside of God. Instead of waiting, we tend to feel the need to take care of ourselves and make it happen for ourselves. This is very risky. Usually, the enemy will bring in a counterfeit blessing. It will look similar to what you desire but it’s not. But; it fulfills the desire you have enough to satisfy you temporarily. The problem? You are delaying the real desire you have as well as will possibly miss it. Just wait! You want what you desire correct? Don’t allow a waiting season to trick you into a distracted and bewildered season. 

James 1:14  “But each one is tempted when he is dragged away, enticed and baited [to commit sin] by his own [worldly] desire (lust, passion).” 

 3. You aren’t just giving up. You have lost hope.  

  • Hope is a place of losing faith in something. Faith that it will happen. Faith that there will be a positive outcome. Faith that you can trust the situation to turn out for your good. When we give up we are telling God we don’t trust Him and that He won’t fulfill His promises. Now, sometimes there are desires that we need to let go of due to them not being God’s will and/or because we never had the right intentions behind the request. But, you can be prayerful about this and God will reveal His truth. If it has been spoken that it is permissive in His will; don’t give up on what you’ve asked for! If you give up then you won’t be able to recognize when God has brought you the desire. The enemy wants you to give up because He knows the glory that will come from God answering the prayer. He will do it. He will provide. Trust His will and trust His timing.  

Isaiah 49:23 “Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”  

I hope by you seeing the reality of your waiting season you can keep pressing on and trusting God in His process of fulfillment. I recommend reading the story of Sarah & Abraham as well as Joseph. They are good examples of waiting on God and you will see several instances where they went through the seasons I mentioned above. God gives us His word to give us hope in our seasons of waiting. He knew we would have these seasons and wanted to provide us with stories of hope. Stay hopeful. He will bring your desires to fulfillment. Don’t miss it.  

Ecclesiastes 1: 9 “…What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”?”  

Isaiah 43: 18-20 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” 

With Love,

Chloe M. Gooden

Saturday Mornings with Chloe: What Are You Worried About This Morning?

What are you finding yourself worried about for the day or weekend? A need being met? How you will pay a bill? Or, maybe if God heard your prayers and will provide the answer right when you need it? I remember hearing somewhere from Kirk Franklin “Fear/Worry is Amnesia of what God has done in our lives before…”…….I couldn’t agree more. I hope today on Saturday’s with Chloe, you are able to get a new perspective on your worries of today.

When Your Year Didn’t Turn Out As Expected

When Your Year Didn’t Turn Out As Expected

The New Year is coming up! For some, that brings excitement, while others; possibly disappointments. The New Year usually brings on the idea of new beginnings for many, but somehow we have ended up at the end of the year in the same place we were the year before; or worse. What New Year’s Resolution did you set that didn’t happen? What desire did you speak into your year that didn’t come into fruition? How do you reflect on such a trying year and still have hopes for the new one? Listen below to find out and let’s reflect together. 

When You Are Waiting On Him To Change

When You Are Waiting On Him To Change

Been praying for years for them to change? Frustrated with going through the same issues in your relationship/marriage? Finding yourself making excuses for their behavior? Tired? Frustrated? Questioning God? Yeah. I’ve felt all those things before and I know the toll it carries on your heart and spirit……

Surviving the Holidays after a Recent Break-up or Divorce

Surviving the Holidays after a Recent Break-up or Divorce

“What if my ex messages me Happy Thanksgiving?”…“What do I do when someone asks me about my ex-spouse?”….“What if a conversation comes up about all my losses that occurred that year?”….As I thought of these hypothetical situations, as well as went through an array of emotions, I realized: I am sure I am not alone in these feelings. Therefore, I have provided for you below a quick “Surviving the Holidays” Guide to help you with these up-coming major holidays.

5 Reasons Why You Struggle to Let Go Him, Even Though He Has Let Go of You

You’ve broken up. He has packed his things and left. He doesn’t call anymore. He doesn’t show any interest. He even has told you he doesn’t love you anymore. How did you get here? What went wrong? Break-ups can be so heartbreaking and we sometimes find it hard to let go. It can be really tough seeing them moving on so easily while you are still crying, hoping, and wishing they would come back. Is there a reason you are still holding on? Is there something you are doing to prevent your healing and letting go? Let’s find out with todays “Convos with Chloe”.