TIMING

Solomon says that there is a time for Everything and that God has a plan for all people.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

1 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. 2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. 3 A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. 4 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. 5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. 6 A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. 7 A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. 8 A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.

This, as you can probably imagine because of control issues, is very difficult for me to just let be. Timing is so important but most important is God’s timing. Most important indeed, but proves to be Most Difficult for me to wait for. Now I know that to discover God’s perfect timing is to discover the secret to peace. And to rebel or move ahead in our own timing will, well, bring eventual despair.

My life has always been about seeing something I want and going for it. I mean, this is what I’ve learned. See it, set a goal, work toward it, and go get it. Sounds logical right? Yes, in a worldly way and until now, my way.  I know Jesus is saying Jena, "Seek My Will in all you do and I will show you which path to take." (Proverbs 3:6)

But what do I do? What I think most of us probably do. When something we want gets our attention, we will find every reason to convince ourselves that God must have put it there. Maybe He did. But maybe not for the reasons we think. What we tend to do is go full force toward it, blinding ourselves to what He may be teaching, because our focus is on the end result. Maybe if we can open our eyes to all that is around us, we can learn and grow from every experience.

Sometimes God’s end result is very different than ours. Sometimes unanswered prayers are God’s blessings (and His perfect answer). And sometimes the answer is “not now” because we have too much to learn.

In any case, His timing will always prove to be perfect. I have tried to control every outcome in my life my way. All that has done is exhaust me. I need to learn to say and mean, YOUR WILL not mine and then I WILL find my peace and joy in Him, regardless of the outcome.

Let all that I am wait quietly before You God, for my hope is in You. You alone are my Rock and my Salvation, my Fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from You alone. You are my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. (Psalm 62:5-7)