Joel Osteen - Beautiful In It's Time

Joel Osteen teaches from Ecclesiastes that God makes all things beautiful in His time—even disappointments, losses, mistakes, and unfair situations—using stories of the Israelites, a struggling businessman, a prodigal son, bitter waters turned sweet, and John Mark’s restoration to show that patient faith leads to unexpected beauty, restoration, and greater fulfillment.

God Makes All Things Beautiful—in His Time!

I want to talk to you today about beautiful in its time. Solomon was the wisest man that ever lived. He wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes, «There is a time for joy and a time for sadness. A time to harvest and a time to plant. A time to be born and a time to die.»

He was saying life is going to happen to us all. There are going to be different seasons: ups and downs, victories and losses, good friends and betrayals, promotions and setbacks.

If he just stopped there, we would think, «Tell me something new—we already know that. That is kind of depressing.» But after listing all the things that can happen—the disappointments, the loss, the bad breaks—he said in verse 10, «I thought about this and came to the conclusion: God makes all things beautiful in its time.»

Beauty Is Coming—Just Give It Time!

He was saying you are going to go through things that are not fair: people that do you wrong, a setback in your health, a child that is off course. It is easy to live discouraged, think that it is never going to work out.

But if you will just stay in faith and keep moving forward, in time God will make all things beautiful. It may not be beautiful right now—there is nothing beautiful about going through a loss or dealing with an illness, a family member that will not speak to you—just give it some time.

You do not have to live worried; you cannot sleep at night—God is working behind the scenes. He is going to resolve things that look like they could never resolve.

What you thought was going to limit the rest of your life—the bad break, the disappointment, the mistake you made—that is not how your story ends. Beauty is coming; restoration is coming; healing is coming; favor is coming. It is going to turn out better than you have imagined.

God will make all things beautiful—not just the good breaks, the promotions, the divine connections (that is obvious)—but the disappointments, the loss, the mistakes. That is how awesome our God is.

Do not give up on your dreams; do not live sour because of what did not work out, bitter over the person that walked away, upset over the contract that should have been yours—let it go.

God saw what happened; He has beauty for the ashes; He has joy for the morning. He said He will pay you back double for the wrongs—He just needs some time.

Now while you are waiting, stay in faith—that is when it is easy to get discouraged: «Why is this happening? When is it going to turn around? This is not fair.» Pass the test: keep doing the right thing; keep going to work with a good attitude; keep praising when you could be complaining; keep speaking victory in the face of defeat.

Trust the Timing—Don’t Rush God’s Plan!

God is still on the throne. He has you in the palm of His hand. At the right time you are going to see Him show out in your life in such a way that you do not think about what you have lost. You are so blessed you do not think about who did you wrong. You are so fulfilled you do not dwell on the negative things of your past.

Maybe you did not have a good childhood; you grew up in dysfunction—you could accept that you are at a disadvantage, you cannot do anything great. That did not stop your destiny.

You keep honoring God, and He is going to make up for what you did not get; He is going to open doors you could not open; have the right people come to you to push you into your purpose.

It was unfair, but God saw it; He knows who left you out; He saw the times you did not think you could go on. He has promised He is going to make it beautiful. He is going to do something awesome in your life.

Perhaps you went through a breakup, a divorce—you are hurting, you are lonely. God is not finished; He is not going to leave you depressed, heartbroken. He has someone amazing coming where you are going to be happier, more fulfilled than you have ever been.

Do not judge the rest of your life by one difficult season. You may be in a time of struggle, a time of loss, a time where things are not fair. Thoughts will tell you, «It is never going to change. This is your lot in life—just accept it.» Do not believe those lies.

God promised He will make all things beautiful. Now here is the key: just give Him some time.

Don’t Get Impatient—Wait for God’s Unfolding!

The Scripture (Psalm 106:13) says, «The Israelites did not wait for God’s plan to unfold.» They missed the Promised Land because they got impatient, complained, thought God had forgotten about them.

The mistake we make often is we get in a hurry; we do not think it is going to happen; voices whisper, «If it was going to happen, surely it would have happened by now.»

Now trust the process—all things in its time will be made beautiful. Give God time to work it out.

If it has not happened yet, that means it has not been the right time. When God is ready, all the forces of darkness cannot stop Him. When it is your time to see beauty, promotion, vindication—it will happen.

People do not stop your destiny. Bad breaks did not cancel what God has ordained for you. Disappointments—even mistakes you have made—God has taken that all into account.

Quit beating yourself up, thinking you have reached your limits, living in regrets.

How You Wait Matters—Stay in Faith!

How we wait is important. If we wait discouraged, upset—"God, why did these people hurt me?"—bitter over who hurt us, sour—that is going to delay the beauty.

The right way to wait is in an attitude of faith: knowing that God is on the throne, knowing that He is working all things for your good, expecting His favor, declaring His promises.

«This difficulty did not come to stay; it came to pass. God being for me is more than the world being against me.»

While you are waiting, be good to others; be a blessing to your friends; encourage your co-workers.

You are waiting for your child to get back on course—go help another young person get back on course.

You are waiting for that promotion—help someone else rise higher.

You are waiting for your healing—pray for someone else that needs healing.

See, when we have been through loss and hurts, disappointments—it is easy to sit around nursing our wounds, thinking about what we have been through, how unfair it was.

Do yourself a favor: get your mind off yourself and go out and be a blessing. As you help others, God is going to help you.

Everything Serves His Plan—Even the Hard Things!

The Scripture (Psalm 119:91) says, «Everything serves His plan.» Not just the good things, the promotions—but the disappointments are serving His plan, the closed doors, the people that did you wrong.

Without that happening, you could not reach your destiny. You have to trust the process. God’s ways are not our ways.

We see the bad breaks as negative—the person that left us out, they set us back—but the truth is it was all necessary to become who we were created to be.

From Business Failure to Greater Impact!

A friend of mine started a new business, and he and his wife worked tirelessly year after year, pouring their heart and soul into it. I would call him some evenings, and he would be out meeting with clients several nights a week; he would get to the office very early—doing everything he could to make it grow.

They saw some success; it was profitable—but then they hit a limit; could not seem to get past it.

At one point the place he leased space from closed the parking lot to build a big parking garage—now his customers had to park off-site and take a shuttle. It seemed like the harder he worked, the worse it got. Some competitors moved in close by, and his business started to go down.

His dream was to give the company to his children, leave a legacy of success—but after 30 years, unfortunately, they had to close the doors.

He was so disappointed; he told me that he felt like a failure—he was embarrassed, ashamed, hurt. He said, «God, how could you let this happen to me? I gave it my best; I have nothing to show for all these years of hard work.»

For several years he was not himself. He used to be so positive and full of faith—but when I called, he did not have any passion; he had lost his fire.

We all go through things that do not make sense—but God would not have allowed it if it was not going to serve His plan.

This is when you have to dig down deep and say, «God, I do not understand this, but I trust You. I believe You are still ordering my steps, that You still have good things in store for me.»

Setbacks Are Setups—Beauty Is Coming!

One day a door unexpectedly opened for my friend—a position where he could use his gifts in a much greater way. He was so excited; he said, «I feel like the 30 years I put into my former business was not lost but it was to prepare me for what I am doing now.» He calls his new job «the position of a lifetime.» The amount of people he used to impact in a year, he now does in one day.

God knows how to make all things beautiful—if you will just give Him some time.

Some of the things that you are disappointed about—you do not understand it; it was not fair—just keep moving forward.

God is not going to waste anything you went through. It feels like a setback—really it is a setup. You are about to come out to new levels; you are going to go places you have never gone; see favor that you have never seen.

Quit believing those lies that you have had too many bad breaks: «God must have forgotten about you. You have a good reason to live sour, discouraged—look at what you have been through.» That was all setting you up for something that you have never imagined.

I believe even now you are about to step into some of this beauty: things that were meant to harm you, struggles that have tried to discourage you, people that did you wrong, bad breaks that should have limited your life—this is a new day; God is doing a new thing. You are about to see vindication, restoration, new opportunities, divine connections. The tide is turning in your favor. What was meant for your harm God is turning to your advantage.

A Prodigal Son Restored—After 13 Years!

There is a couple that have a son, and they were raised here at Lakewood. They are very faithful—but when the son went off to college, he started running with the wrong crowd: partying, making poor choices.

One thing led to another; he ended up with drug addictions. His parents tried to help him, but he would not have anything to do with them. He got to where he would not speak to them or have any kind of contact—it was breaking their heart.

They would come down for prayer week after week, and they could not understand it. They had done the right thing—but now the wrong thing was happening.

They could have been bitter, complaining: «God, where were You?"—but they just kept doing the right thing: being faithful, serving, giving, helping others.

God Never Takes His Hands Off the Clay!

The Scripture says God is the potter, and we are the clay. There is nothing really beautiful about the clay—it is just a lump of hard dirt, some rocks in it, no form.

But the potter puts the clay on the wheel and he begins to spin it around and around. While it is spinning, the clay is still wobbly, still has lumps, still does not look like much—but the potter never takes his hands off the clay; he keeps making it, molding it, until it begins to take shape.

If someone came up to the potter and saw the clay going around and around, they would think you are wasting your time—that is just a bunch of clay; that is never going to amount to much. The potter would say, «Just give me some time. You see clay, but I see something beautiful. You see a bunch of dirt, but I see a valuable vase.»

This young man was off course, making poor decisions—but God is the potter; He never takes His hands off the clay. Even though it is wobbly, even though it has lumps, even though it falls down and He has to reshape it—He keeps working.

All those times you thought God had forgotten about you, the truth is He still had His hands on you. When you were not making good decisions, when you were running with the wrong crowd, giving in to the temptation—the potter did not throw you out because you are clay, because you found some lumps, you have faults and weaknesses. His hands have always been on you.

The good news is He is never going to take His hands off of you. The Scripture says His calling on your life is irrevocable. He is going to keep making you and molding you.

In the same way, the potter’s hands are on your children. They may get off course—but the potter does not give up on the clay; He just spins it around a little bit more.

These parents understood what Solomon said: that there is a time for weeping, a time for loss, a time for disappointment—but that is not the end of the story.

God said He will make all things beautiful in its time. There is a time for restoration, a time for healing, a time for deliverance, a time for celebration.

Their attitude was, «God, we do not understand it, but we trust You. We know You are in control, that You will not take Your hands off our son, that You will keep making him and molding him.»

After 13 years of barely speaking to them, one day he called and said he wanted to come back home, wanted to make things right. He got back in church and went to treatment—he has been free for six years now. Today he is helping other young people get free.

If you will stay in faith and give God the time, He will make all things beautiful.

From Bitter Waters to an Oasis!

Like this couple, you may have relationships that are strained—family members that will not have anything to do with you. You think it is always going to be that way; you are about to write them off.

No—keep loving them; keep being good to them; keep praying; keep forgiving; stay on the high road.

God sees what is happening; He knows how to restore; He knows how to change people’s hearts. His hands are still on them—they may just need to go around the wheel a few more times.

The timing is not up to us; it is up to God. Will you wait for His plan to unfold? Will you not get discouraged: «When is it going to happen? Why is this not improving?» It just needs some time.

When you understand this principle, it takes the pressure off—you will not live worried, frustrated, wondering when it is going to work out.

You will say, «God, everything may not be perfect in my life; I am waiting for things to change—but I am going to enjoy today knowing that You are on the throne, that You are going to make all things beautiful in my life.»

Exodus 15: Moses was leading the Israelites toward the Promised Land. They were in the desert—so hot and thirsty; they did not think they were going to make it. They desperately needed water.

They finally came to this river. They were so excited; they rushed over to it—but the water was bitter; they could not drink it. Their excitement turned to great disappointment.

God told Moses to put a certain kind of tree in the water. When he did, the bitter waters became sweet. Now the people could go drink all the water they wanted.

God knows how to take a bitter situation and make it sweet: a bitter loss, a bitter breakup, a bitter childhood. It looks like that is your destiny—just learn to live with it.

In the natural that is true—but God is supernatural. That water should be bitter—but when God touches it, the bitterness will be turned to sweet: the relationship will be restored; the child will come back home; the dream will come to pass.

From Desert to Oasis—Abundance Awaits!

The Scripture says (Exodus 15:27), after the Israelites left Marah—where the bitter waters were—they came to Elim where there were 12 springs and 70 palm trees. They came out of bitterness into an oasis—it was like a resort.

I can imagine them thinking, «How did this place ever make it out in the desert?»

The principle is God is going to bring you out of the bitter places of life—not just to where you were, but to an oasis: to abundance, joy, health, fulfillment like you have never seen.

It is going to be a time of refreshing, re-energizing, enjoyment that you have never experienced.

When God makes all things beautiful, it is going to exceed your expectations: relationships healthier than they have ever been, your child doing awesome things, going further in your career, stepping into new levels of your destiny.

From bitter waters to sweet waters, from the desert to the oasis—that is how God restores; that is His idea of beauty.

John Mark: From Desertion to Restoration!

In the Scripture the apostle Paul chose Barnabas and his cousin John Mark to travel with him. Paul could have chosen anyone—he was very influential and very respected.

They went to different cities ministering and were having great success—but when Paul decided to sail to the city of Perga, the Scripture says John Mark deserted him. It does not give any reason—he just went back home to Jerusalem.

Paul was upset; he thought, «At least you could tell me that you are going to leave. After all, I chose you, took you under my wing, I shared my influence with you—now you are just going to walk away?»

Later Paul was about to return to a city and check on how things were going. Barnabas said, «Let us take John Mark with us.» Paul was not so forgiving. He said in effect, «No way. He is not coming back on my team. After he deserted me, I am done with him.»

It was such a sharp disagreement that Paul and Barnabas split up. They were so at odds that they no longer traveled together. Paul chose Silas; Barnabas chose John Mark—they went their separate ways.

You do not hear much more about Barnabas and John Mark—but Paul and Silas, they did great things: saw one miracle after another. At midnight when they were in prison, they sang praises and the prison doors opened.

When they were shipwrecked on the Island of Malta, a poisonous snake bit Paul—he shook it off; it did not harm him. He prayed, and all the sick people on the island were healed.

There are chapters and chapters of how God used them. Paul went on to write almost half of the books in the New Testament.

I can imagine John Mark thinking, «Man, I blew it. Why did I not stick with Paul? Why did I desert him? At least I should have thanked him for choosing me—told him that I wanted to go back home, not just disappear.»

It seemed like his own mistakes, his own poor choices soured his relationship and limited his destiny.

Your Mistakes Don’t Cancel Your Destiny!

We can all look back like John Mark and think, «Man, if I had only stayed in that relationship, if I had only been more committed in my marriage, if I had only spent more time with my children, if I had only finished college—where could I be now?»

But God has a way of making all things beautiful—even when we have made mistakes, even our own shortcomings, things we know we should have done better.

John Mark was down on himself. When he heard how Paul was doing great things and how he was impacting cities, it was like pouring salt on the wound—he thought, «That could have been me.»

Fast forward many years: Paul is now an old man; he is in prison about to pass. He is writing to Timothy and says, «I finished my course; I have run my race.»

He went on to say, «Timothy, when you come, bring the coat I left at Troas, bring my books and my papers—and one more thing: bring John Mark with you, for he is very profitable to me.»

Of all the things he could have asked for at the end of his life, he asked for John Mark.

I can imagine word getting to him: «You are not going to believe this—Paul wants you; he asked me to bring you to him.»

John Mark says, «Do not kid me like that. You know I blew it with Paul.»

«I am not kidding—Timothy sent the message; Paul wants you to come; he says that you are very valuable to him.»

I can see these tears welling up in John Mark’s eyes.

Paul was not so forgiving early on—he did not want to have anything to do with John Mark—but God knows how to soften people’s hearts; He knows how to give you another chance.

In its time He will make all things beautiful.

You may have relationships that you think are too far gone—too much water under the bridge; you messed up; they are not going to have anything to do with you.

No—another chance is coming. You would not be hearing this if God was not about to do something unusual, something out of the ordinary.

John Mark thought he had missed his chance, that his bad choices had stopped his destiny—but here is how good God is: He not only saw his relationship with Paul restored, but most scholars believe that he wrote the Gospel of Mark.

Who would have ever thought that—after deserting Paul, after causing a disagreement that caused Barnabas to break away—that one day, many years later, we would be reading the book that he wrote?

What am I saying? God knows how to make all things beautiful—just give it some time.

Your Time for Beauty Is Coming!

«Well, Joel, this is encouraging—but I think it is too late for me. You do not know what I have done: the relationships I have soured, the regrets that I have.»

Your mistakes are not too much for the mercy of God. Your shortcomings, your lack of commitment, your failures did not stop your destiny.

God is softening hearts right now; He is preparing the way for restoration.

Timothy sent word: «Go find John Mark; tell him that he is profitable, he is valuable, that he needs him.»

God is calling your name today: «Go find Linda; go find Phillip; go find Rolando—tell them that they are valuable, that I have another chance, that I am going to restore what was stolen.»

It is not too late; you have not made too many mistakes. Like John Mark, your latter days are going to be better than your former days.

Mistakes you have made in the past are not going to keep you from the great things God has in store.

Now maybe you are not John Mark in this story—you are Paul. God is saying to you, «Give them another chance; show mercy. It is time to forgive; it is time to release the hurt; it is time to bury the hatchet—this is a new day.»

As you forgive, God is going to make things beautiful in your life. You are not just doing them a favor—you are doing yourself a favor.

Make that call; tell your child, your parent, your friend that you need them, that they are valuable to you.

God did not put them in your life by accident. The mercy you show them is the mercy that is going to be shown you.

Life is flying by; time is short—they are not always going to be here.

Paul waited till he was almost done—but he could not really say, «I finished my course,» without saying, «Go get John Mark.»

He was saying, «I am not going to die holding this against him, letting him think that I am disappointed in him, trying to keep him feeling guilty and condemned. I am bigger than that. I am done holding on to things that are holding me down.»

When John Mark came and felt Paul’s love and acceptance, gifts that had been buried in him came alive; vision that had laid dormant came back to life. He stepped up and wrote his book and saw God’s favor in new ways.

I believe today God is about to make some things beautiful in your life.

Whether you made the mistakes like John Mark—or life threw you some curves at no fault of your own: bad breaks, disappointments—God saw it.

Your time is coming. He did not bring you this far to leave you.

Things that look like they will never work out—in your health, your relationships, your career—just give it some time.

God is still on the throne; He is working behind the scenes.

Now do your part: instead of living discouraged, all through the day say, «Father, thank You that You are making all things beautiful in my life.»

If you will do this, I believe and declare things are about to happen that you could not make happen.

Like John Mark, you are about to see restoration; you are going to accomplish dreams bigger than you thought: healing is coming; freedom is coming; promotion, restoration, breakthroughs, the fullness of your destiny—in Jesus' name.

And if you receive it, can you say amen today? Amen.