Movies typically don’t use all the footage they gather, whether or not they release them as bonus features or not.And if you think about it, most movies occur over a length of time. The  director and producers keep the audience in mind during editing and cut out the scenes that are less important.

Okay, so why am I telling you this? Look the stories in the Bible. We don’t have the full details of each person’s stories in there. We don’t know how tired Joshua was leading the Jews around Jericho for days. We don’t know how frustrated Jonah was for days inside a fish. We don’t know every moment that Job suffered. We don’t know how Esther grew up. We don’t have the deleted scenes.

We don’t know every temptation or struggle each of these people had. It probably wasn’t a lesson they learned one time. We can get so discouraged when we find ourselves struggling over and over. We can become impatient when our prayers don’t seem to be answered in the moment. But we aren’t alone in that nor are we the only ones that have struggled through this. Remember that the people we read about in Scripture went through these trials too. They lived full lives, not just their story in Scripture.

So don’t be discouraged in the time lapse. God didn’t forget about you. It just means the story isn’t over yet.

“Be very careful, then, how you live- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is.” -Ephesians 5:15-17

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” -2 Peter 3:8-9