A friend of mine sent me a card with the following poem:
When the time was right,
the worlds were made, the flood subsided,
the sea was parted, the walls fell down,
the lion’s mouths were shut,
the storm was silenced, the blind could see,
the lame could walk, the captives went free,
the tomb was forever emptied.
God’s timing is always right,
His power is great,
His plan for you is good,
His hold on you is secure--
and He’ll see you through.
This card prompted an immediate meditative mode on the subject of God’s timing. I admit up front that I do not understand God’s timing and I will probably never understand God’s timing. I do my best to be patient and persevere as I wait on God and confess to finding this extremely hard to do at times. I do my best through quoting Scriptures and trying to have an attitude of patience, including trying positive thinking, but it’s seems like I have to work incredibly hard. When I become impatient I get frustrated. When I get frustrated I begin to question and doubt. I know that whenever I begin to question and doubt that something is not going right in my heart and mind.
As I prayed for a new perspective on God’s timing and my role in waiting on God, I began to see that my be-patient approach is attempted more in my own power than it is in God’s power. Hence the challenges and frustration. I also began to realize there is more than just a need for a patiently-waiting response from me. Submitting to God’s timing also requires trust. I am to trust God’s timing just as much as I am to be patient while I wait for Him.
Instead of focusing more on being patient, I have focused more the last couple of days on trusting God. I have noticed a difference in my ability to be patient and am beginning to see that patience is a by-product of trust, not the other way around. I know that I am doing all that I can do on my part in faith and obedience. When I have done all I can do, I am to continue to trust God and exercise faith and patience.
God is trustworthy. We can trust Him even if He doesn’t operate on our timetable. God's timing is always right.
