2 Peter 3:8 8But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
If Peter had ended with verse 7, this letter would be depressing and discouraging. However, as he considered the seriousness of rejecting God’s truth, he also thought of God’s patience. Even though the godly will be judged in the end, God is patient and gives humanity as much time as needed to receive and respond to the gospel. The time reference in verse 8 is figurative, since God is beyond time as the one who was, is, and always will be. Some philosophies constrain God to time. However, this thinking distorts the biblical concept of eternity. God entered time and creation in the vividness of the incarnation of Jesus, who came at the right point in time to bring about God’s ultimate purposes for humanity.
Since time is not a factor for God, any delay in the return of Jesus is not a delay but is done on purpose. God’s timing is the best. A delay in Jesus’ coming, and thus final judgment, does not mean that God has forgotten or will not fulfill his promise. Jesus will come again at the right moment, just as his first coming was at the right moment. The principle in this verse can be applied to many things in our lives, especially prayer. We may feel rushed, like we need an answer today, but God sees the whole picture and will do what is most loving and consistent with his character.