Why do some people not turn to God until later in life?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

People often delay turning to God because of sin, misplaced desires, and spiritual blindness. Jesus warned that the cares and riches of this life can choke out spiritual concern (Matthew 13:22), and John wrote that love for the world pulls hearts away from the Father (1 John 2:15-17). The Bible describes unbelievers as having darkened minds and hardened hearts (Ephesians 4:18; Jeremiah 17:9), while Satan blinds them from seeing the light of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4).

At the same time, Scripture emphasizes God’s patience and persistent calling. He encourages people to seek Him while He may be found and warns against hardening the heart when His voice is heard (Isaiah 55:6; Psalm 95:7-8; Hebrews 3:7-8). Jesus’ parable of the vineyard workers demonstrates that His grace reaches even those who come late (Matthew 20:1-16). The thief who turned to Christ on the cross shows that salvation can come at the last moment (Luke 23:39-43). However, it is always God who opens the heart and draws people to His Son (John 6:44; Acts 16:14). Therefore, people saved later in life were ultimately saved then because that was God’s plan for their lives.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• In the Old Testament, to “turn to God” meant returning to the Lord in repentance and trust, turning away from idols, and renewing loyalty to His covenant. This was a return deep within the heart to the God who rescued His people (Deuteronomy 30:2; Hosea 14:1).
• This need to return arises because the human heart naturally resists God. Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). People’s sinful hearts often delay repentance because they are directed by, and prefer, their deep, sinful desires.
• Because the heart tends toward sin, Solomon warned against postponing repentance. He said, “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). He was saying that as one gets older, their hearts will harden start to despise what is good, making it even more challenging to repent.
• This is why the psalmist said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Psalm 95:7-8). The word “today” matters; procrastination gives sin room to settle in and harden. Israel heard this particular call in worship so that people wouldn’t wait for a “life crisis” before seeking the Lord. Emphasizing the present need to repent highlights how easily we put off repentance by promising ourselves a future that may never materialize.
• Pride also hinders repentance (Proverbs 16:18). For example, Pharaoh saw God’s power through a series of plagues, yet his heart stayed hardened, and he refused to surrender to the Lord (Exodus 7:13; 9:12). Repeated exposure to the truth doesn't necessarily lead to obedience. Without humility, the most powerful experiences can make someone more stubborn.
• Since the heart is the real issue in each of these cases, it needs to change. No one can do that but God, who promised future salvation: “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you” (Ezekiel 36:26). This promise explains why some people only turn to God after years of resistance: God, for reasons known only to Him, sometimes waits until later in life to give someone a new heart.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Turning to God means repenting and believing the good news that Jesus is Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9). The New Testament places the timing for that repentance in God’s hands. Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44). This drawing is what the Old Testament described as God giving a new heart. Many people come later because God has been patiently working through their life circumstances to bring them to the point where He opens their blind eyes to see Him.
• Sometimes physical reasons hinder belief, at least initially. Jesus taught that some hear the gospel but that “the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word” (Matthew 13:22). Jobs, worries, and pleasures in this life can keep people from seriously reflecting on their spiritual state for years. The good news is that those same pressures can, over time, expose the individual’s emptiness and awaken spiritual hunger. When the soil of the heart is finally softened in God’s timing, the seed can finally take root.
• While we hope everyone is saved early, Jesus pointed out that all people are equal regardless of when they are saved. He described the kingdom of God as being like day laborers, where workers hired at different times of the day, including the end of the day, receive the same wage (Matthew 20:1-16). It doesn’t matter how long someone has been saved; what matters is the generosity of the God who saves. In His kingdom, there is no shame in being the last one in.
• The thief crucified beside Jesus illustrates this clearly. He repented, turning to Christ in his final moments, and Jesus said, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). This doesn’t mean you should plan for last-minute repentance, but it does show Christ’s authority and willingness to save even at the last second.
• To keep from people assuming that God would save them at the last moment, Paul issued a stern warning, saying, “do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed” (Romans 2:4). Rejecting Jesus now leads to a harder heart; without repentance, God’s wrath grows more severe. God’s patience is real, but do not assume last-minute salvation. This is why the author of Hebrews echoed Psalm 95, saying, “As it is said, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion’” (Hebrews 3:15).
• Paul’s salvation story shows someone who turned to Jesus later in life. He opposed the church until the risen Christ confronted him. The result was that he could serve as an example to others (Acts 9:1-6; 1 Timothy 1:13-16). God can interrupt a life heading in the wrong direction, no matter how far along that path. Delayed conversions testify to the same mercy that saves anyone who believes. In every season, the call remains the same: repent and trust in Jesus now (Acts 17:30).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

If you have waited—or if someone you love has waited—take heart: God is patient and powerful enough to save, even after years of wandering (2 Peter 3:9). Do not let shame or lost time keep you away. Christ died for sinners, was raised, and welcomes all who turn to Him in faith. Past delays do not disqualify you; Jesus is enough for you today.

But don't assume you'll be alive tomorrow. Life is fragile, and Scripture urges us to respond today. If you feel conviction, talk to God now—confess your sin, ask for mercy, and entrust yourself to Jesus. Then take simple steps to keep your heart tender: read the Bible, pray, meet with a faithful church, and share what God has done.

If you are praying for a late-in-life conversion for others, do not give up! Ask the Lord to open their hearts, arrange circumstances, and send believers with clear, kind words (Acts 16:14; Colossians 4:3-6). Trust in God’s timing and His eternal plan for that person, but also continue to share the gospel. Christ saves everyone who comes to Him.

UNDERSTAND

• People delay turning to God because of sin, distractions, and spiritual blindness.
• God patiently draws hearts at His timing, even later in life.
• Salvation is available to all who repent, but responding should not be delayed.

REFLECT

• How have your own distractions or desires delayed your turning to God?
• In what areas of your life do you need to respond to God’s patience and invitation today?
• How does knowing God can draw people at any stage of life affect the way you view His timing and mercy?

ENGAGE

• How can understanding why some people are resistant to turning to God until later in life shape how we interact with those who have not yet trusted in Jesus?
• How can we encourage others to respond to God without believing that they have “missed their chance”?
• How do the examples in the Bible about God’s patience and timing in drawing people to Himself encourage you?