Out theme is -" Work in progress Philemon 1:6"
Topic: You Are Not Too Late, if you know who you are in this perverse world.
Understanding What "Too Late" Means
Before we can understand the statement "You are not too late," we must first understand what lateness actually means.
Lateness can be described as the arrival of a person, event, or opportunity after an expected time. In everyday language, something is considered "too late" when it can no longer fulfill its intended purpose or when an opportunity has passed.
Knowing who you are begins with understanding your identity in Christ. As believers, our identity is not determined by people's opinions, our social status, or our achievements in life. The Bible teaches that when we are crucified with Christ, we become a new creation, and our lives are now defined by Him. Therefore, our true identity is rooted in who God says we are and in the purpose and calling He has for our lives. Living from this understanding helps us align our decisions and direction with God's will rather than the expectations of the world.
Galatians 2:20 AMP
[20] I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
However, when we view life from God's perspective, we discover that human timelines and divine timing are often very different. What people call "late" may simply be God's appointed time.
As we discuss this topic in the context of singleness and marriage, it is important to establish that the Bible does not prescribe a specific age by which a person must get married. Throughout Scripture, we see people entering marriage at various stages of life. Therefore, personal achievement should never be measured by what others have accomplished or by the age at which they accomplished it.
Comparison may be useful when tracking a child's growth and development, but it becomes dangerous when applied to adult life journeys. Every individual has a unique path and assignment from God.
The Problem with Human Timelines
Human beings naturally compare themselves with others. In many communities, comparison is not only accepted but encouraged. Society often creates timelines that determine when certain life events should happen.
We know when a child is expected to move from preschool to primary school, from secondary school to university, and eventually into employment. While these structures may be useful for educational development, many people have transferred the same mindset to marriage.
As a result, marriage is often viewed as another milestone that must be achieved by a particular age. Cultural expectations, family traditions, and even religious beliefs can intensify this pressure.
Yet we live in a world where many people pursue marriage for the wrong reasons. Some see it as an escape route from loneliness, family pressure, or personal challenges. Others view it as an achievement or status symbol. Consequently, many people begin to feel as though they are behind in life and start running a race that God never asked them to run.
When we allow human timing to define our lives, we risk missing God's timing.
There Is More to Your Life Than Marriage
One of the greatest truths every single person must understand is that there is more to life than marriage.
Whether you are single, preparing for marriage, married, or even widowed, God has a purpose for your life. Your existence is not defined by your marital status.
Before marriage, in marriage, and beyond marriage, God's plan remains active. When we lose sight of this truth, we allow the world to rush us into decisions that may not align with God's will.
Many people speak about "the world" as though it only exists outside the church. Yet the reality is that worldly thinking can also exist within church circles. Some individuals experience immense pressure from fellow believers, and for those whose social lives revolve around church communities, this pressure can become overwhelming.
Never allow pity, pressure, or fear to push you into a place God has not prepared for you.
Why Do People Feel Time Is Against Them?
Many people believe they are running out of time because of several common pressures:
- Societal expectations
- Age
- Gender expectations
- Family pressure
- Church pressure
While these influences are real, the most important thing is to understand God's timing for your life and align yourself with it rather than trying to run ahead of it.
Understanding the Difference Between Love and Lust
If you want to walk in God's timing as a single person, one of the most important distinctions you must understand is the difference between love and lust.
Both words contain four letters. Sometimes their outward expressions may appear similar, but they are fundamentally different.
Love
Love leads a person toward purpose and helps sustain them in God's will.
One example is the relationship between Elkanah and Hannah in 1 Samuel. Scripture tells us that Elkanah loved Hannah deeply. Even when Hannah struggled with barrenness, he did not abandon her or replace her. Instead, he stood by her until God's purpose was fulfilled through her life as the mother of Samuel, one of Israel's greatest prophets.
True love does not exploit. It does not manipulate. It does not seek selfish gain. When you understand genuine love, you will not look for it in the wrong places or accept counterfeit versions of it.
Lust
Lust, on the other hand, is self-centred and destructive. It seeks personal gratification rather than God's purpose.
In 2 Samuel 13, Amnon lusted after Tamar. What he called love was actually lust. His actions ultimately led to destruction, affecting both his life and Tamar's.
Lust and infatuation often walk together. Unfortunately, these behaviours have become so normalised in today's culture that many people—even within the church—mistake them for love.
Without spiritual discernment, it is easy to confuse temporary feelings with genuine love.
Don't Idolise Marriage
Another important truth is that marriage should never become an idol.
For some people, marriage comes earlier according to God's plan. For others, it comes later. Some enter marriage according to their own plans rather than God's.
What matters most is not when marriage happens but whether it happens within God's will.
Do not become so focused on marriage that you neglect your purpose, growth, calling, and relationship with God.
Marriage is beautiful. It is ordained by God. When entered into with the right person and for the right reasons, it can be a tremendous blessing.
However, if marriage becomes an obsession, it can become dangerous. Never desire marriage so intensely that you end up with a prayer point instead of a prayer partner.
The story of Ananias and Sapphira reminds us that a person's destiny should never be surrendered simply because they are married. If Sapphira had exercised godly discernment, her story may have ended differently.
Whether you are married or single, marriage should never occupy the place in your heart that belongs to God alone.
You Are Not Too Late
As long as you are alive, you are not too late.
God has a plan for your life, and walking closely with Him enables you to understand His timing.
What appears to be morning for one person may be afternoon or evening for another. We are not all operating on the same timetable because we are not all called to the same assignments.
God's plans for your life are unique, and therefore His timing for your life will also be unique.
Failure Is Not the End of Your Story
Many people feel like failures because they are not where their friends, family members, or peers appear to be.
However, when you truly understand your identity in Christ, you will not accept the enemy's lie that you are a failure.
The Bible tells us:
«"There is a season (a time appointed) for everything and a time for every delight and event or purpose under heaven." — Ecclesiastes 3:1 (AMP)»
The fact that someone else has reached a milestone before you does not mean you have failed.
Learn to see yourself through the lens of God's grace rather than through the lens of comparison.
If you feel delayed in a particular area of life, do not settle for the narrative of failure. Return to God. Allow Him to guide you back to His purpose and rewrite the story.
Whatever your age, whatever your season, and whatever your current circumstances, it is never too late to begin again. It is never too late to reposition yourself. It is never too late to follow God's direction.
Do not use someone else's harvest as the measurement of your own garden.
Continue to work diligently. Allow God to work in you and through you. Exercise your faith. Reject doubt. Keep moving forward.
Conclusion
The truth remains: You are not too late.
God's timing is perfect, and His plans for your life are good. When you trust Him and walk with Him, you will discover that what appears late by human standards may actually be right on time according to heaven's calendar.
I conclude with the anchor scripture for this program:
«"And I pray that the participation in and sharing of your faith may produce and promote full recognition and appreciation and understanding and precise knowledge of every good thing that is ours in our identification with Christ Jesus and unto His glory." — Philemon 1:6 (AMP)»
May God help us to understand His timing, trust His process, and walk confidently in His purpose, knowing that we are never too late when we are walking with Him.
