Struggling with God’s Timing?
Learn from Ryan Stevenson’s Inspiring Story
As someone who transitioned from a paramedic to a successful musician, contemporary Christian musician Ryan Stevenson shared his journey of trusting in God’s timing and purpose with us.
Ryan opens up about a common challenge many face—feeling stuck in their current job. “God doesn’t care about those lines and boundaries that we set up to say, ‘No, God won’t do that. He’s in this box, or He’s in that box.’ No, He’s not. He used the most unforeseen crazy, weird circumstances at my job as a paramedic—not only in that season—but for now, to actually … get me to now.”
He emphasizes that current circumstances don’t define our entire life journey. “No matter what you’re doing, it doesn’t mean you’re going to do it for the rest of your life. If God’s called you to do something else, it’s probably a done deal. Just how are you going to get there?”
You can trust in God’s timing and remain steadfast in your faith, even when the path seems unclear.
Ryan discusses is the difficulty of waiting on God’s timing. He reflects, “Are we willing to wait on God’s timing? A lot of times, it’s not even the intensity of the struggle, but its duration. It’s like, ‘God, how long is this going to last?'”
Ryan recounts his own experience of feeling stuck in a paramedic job for almost nine years, yearning for something more aligned with his passion for music and ministry. “There were years where I thought, ‘Okay, there’s got to be something else.’ But I trusted God with the details.”
The Impact of a Worldwide Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic was a significant turning point for Ryan. He shares how the pandemic brought his music career to a halt, with his entire tour schedule evaporating within two weeks. “Our livelihood depends on touring, playing live music. When your whole way of gaining income just disappears, it’s a challenge.”
Yet, this period became a wilderness experience that deepened his reliance on God. “God used this season to get me alone, quiet, and show me that He is my source. He can do exceedingly and abundantly more than we can ask or imagine.”
The Birth of “Able”
Out of this challenging season came Ryan’s album, “Abel.” “I love this project. These songs have been birthed from this last season that we’ve all been living through.” The album’s themes highlight God’s presence in the details and His ability to exceed our expectations. “God is so much more concerned about the process and the journey rather than us arriving at some end result.”
Encouragement for the Journey
Ryan hopes his story encourages anyone feeling lost, depressed, or questioning God’s presence. “A lot of us are in those places, asking God, ‘Where are you? What are you doing? I feel alone, I feel lost, I’m depressed.’ ‘Able’ speaks to that, reminding us that God is motivated by love and still has us.”
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