It was 1978, and a young couple was riding high on faith.
They needed a car — not just any car, but a brand-new Buick Riviera. Top of the line. Big V8 engine. Chrome bumpers that caught the light just right. They joined hands, prayed with full conviction, and thanked God for what they were certain was already on its way.
Then they did something very human: they gave God a deadline.
Thirty days. Seemed reasonable enough. After all, He had built the entire universe in six.
For a month, they waited and believed. As Day 30 dawned, their anticipation was high. Noon came. Then evening. Then 10 PM. Then the clock pushed past midnight — 12:05 AM — and the driveway remained empty.
No Buick. No chrome bumpers. Just the soft, indifferent ticking of a clock.
In that moment, something shifted. Not their faith exactly — they still believed God could do it. What crumbled was something subtler and more dangerous: the unspoken assumption that they could tell Him how.
They had trusted God for the what. But they had tried to manage the when.
That’s the razor-thin line between faith and presumption — and most of us have stood on the wrong side of it at least once.
Key Takeaways
1. Faith is dependence, not independence. It requires daily checking in with God.
2. Submission is an act of faith. It takes more strength to yield than to push.
3. God’s way is always the best way. He sees the end from the beginning.
Is There a Difference Between God’s Will and His Ways?
Many people confuse knowing God’s will with understanding His ways. Psalm 103:7 says,
“He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.” – (KJV)
This distinction determines whether you live in rest or in frustration.
The children of Israel saw God’s acts. They saw the Red Sea part, water gushing out of a rock and the manna fall. They knew what God did, but they didn’t know the Lord Himself. Because they didn’t know His ways, they fell into an “unpersuadable unbelief.” They remained stiff-necked and eventually died in the desert.
Moses, however, understood God’s ways. He understood the heart and the methods behind the miracles. While the crowd focused on the “what,” Moses focused on the “how.” Knowing God’s will gives you the destination, but knowing His ways gives you the daily path to get there.
The Way of Faithfulness is an attitude of total, daily dependence on God’s timing, methods, and heart, rather than trying to force your own plan.
The “I Thought For Sure” Trap
One of the greatest obstacles to a miracle is a preconceived idea. In 2 Kings 5, you find Naaman, a Syrian captain with leprosy. He traveled to see the prophet Elisha with a fortune in gold. He expected a grand reception.
When he arrived, Elisha didn’t even come out of the house. He sent a messenger to tell Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times. Naaman flew into a rage. He said, “Behold, I thought for sure he would come out… and strike his hand over the place.”
Naaman almost missed his healing because of his imaginations:
• The “My-TV” Channel: He had the “History of Me” channel playing on his mind. He was the star of his own grand scenario.
• Visions of Grandeur: He wanted to be treated like a dignitary. He thought his money should buy a specific performance.
• Strongholds: These “I thought for sure” thoughts were strongholds that had to be cast down.
God’s way requires humility and simple obedience. When Naaman finally dropped his imaginations and dipped in the river, his flesh became like a little baby’s.
Are You Asking or Telling?
Faith failures often happen when we use the Word of God to tell Him what to do instead of asking for His direction. King David is a prime example of someone who stayed in God’s ways through constant inquiry.
The Bible says David inquired of the Lord repeatedly. On the 25th time he went against the Philistines, he didn’t assume the old way would work. He asked, “Shall I go up?” This time, God said, “No.”
God gave him a new way: go around the back and wait for a sound in the mulberry trees. If David had presumed and used his own way, he would have faced defeat.
Real faith involves daily inquiry, checking in with the Holy Spirit for every step.
The Law of the Open Door
God is love. Love never uses force. Fear forces, but love leads. This is how God operates. He will not push His way into your life. You must invite Him in.
Consider how God waits for an invitation:
• The Road to Emmaus: Jesus walked with two disciples after the resurrection. When they reached the village, He acted as though He would have gone further. He only stayed because they asked Him.
• Abraham’s Guests: Three men appeared near Abraham’s tent. He ran to meet them. He pleaded with them not to pass by. Because he invited them, he received the promise of a son.
God stands at the door and knocks. He has the power to break it down. But He won’t. You must hear His voice and open the door.
What Real Faithfulness Looks Like
Faithfulness is a permanent commitment. It means staying steadfast when there is no visible benefit.
There’s story often told about a farmer during a drought. The farmer lost his land to a lender.
Every morning, the farmer still got up to work. He couldn’t afford paint, so he used whitewash out of the creek bank to keep the fences clean. He cut the weeds as if the farm were still his.
The lender eventually repossessed the local church because the congregation was unfaithful. But when he saw the farmer’s dedication, he gave the man his deed back. This is God’s ways of doing things.
We see this same heart in Ruth. She stayed with Naomi when there was “nothing in it for her.” She committed to Naomi’s God without a promise of wealth or a husband. Because she stayed faithful to the person and the process, God moved her into the lineage of Jesus.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Setting time limits on God: Trying to force a “30-day” deadline on a “forever” God.
2. Thinking you know the whole plan: Assuming the “how” is your responsibility.
3. Refusing to submit to elders: Ignoring the wisdom of those who have walked the path for decades.
4. Trying to “buy” the anointing: Thinking money or status can substitute for simple, humble obedience.
Conclusion: Your Move
Stop telling God how to run your life and start asking for His direction. If you have been stiff-necked or insistent on your own timeline, simply repent. Yield your heart to His Spirit today.
You can pray: “Father, forgive me for insisting on my own ways. I yield to Your Spirit. Teach me Your will and Your ways. I want to do it Your way for the rest of my life. Amen.”
When the curtain closes on your life, you don’t want to be a soloist singing “My Way”—you want to be a witness who can say, “I simply followed His.”
Choose the way of faithfulness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Should I ever say “If it be thy will”?
A. Yes. You don’t use this for things clearly promised, like healing. However, for personal plans and travel, you should. Paul said, “I will return, if the Lord will.” It acknowledges you don’t know the whole future.
Q. Why does God wait so long to answer?
A. Sometimes we aren’t developed yet. You might ask a question today that you wouldn’t have the capacity to understand for ten years. God waits for you to grow so you can handle the blessing.
Q. What is a “hard heart”?
A. A hard heart is an unpersuadable heart. It is a heart that is closed to God’s input and insists on its own way.
Q. Does God control everything that happens?
A. No. If God were in control of everything, there would be no “if.” The Bible is full of “ifs”—if you hear His voice, if you open the door. Your choices determine your path.
Q. How do I know I’m being led by the Spirit?
A. The Holy Spirit communicates through an inward witness or an unction. It is a “knowing” in your heart, not a loud voice.
Q. What if I missed God’s way in the past?
A. It’s not too late. Years after their first Buick attempt, the young couple picked up their faith again without the time limit. God eventually provided a brand-new, fully paid-for Riviera in His own perfect timing.
