There is a time for everything

Waiting can often be frustrating, but the Bible tells us of many stories of people who had to wait for God’s timing, writes Leanne Mallett

I’m sure we have all heard someone use the phrase: ‘Not on my watch.’ It’s a phrase that says, ‘Not while I’m responsible.’ ‘Not on my clock’ is an assertive way to say, “I’m in charge right now, and I won’t allow that.”

There are times when we really are in charge of what happens. We can allow or not allow things, depending on our responsibility. But there are also situations completely out of our control. Times when the decision isn’t up to us.

Have you ever had someone say to you in a moment perhaps of disappointment… “Hey, God’s timings are perfect.” We may still feel the frustration, the disappointment, the lack of understanding – but deep down we know those words are true.

When someone reminds you on your wedding day, or on the day your child was born, or on the day you got that job, that God’s timings are perfect – you suddenly, in that happy moment, understand that phrase a bit more. It’s easier to accept when things are good, harder for us to understand when life is painful, delayed, disappointing, frustrating – or not on our clock, maybe.

In Ecclesiastes 3:1 it says: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” And in that chapter, we are reminded that life holds good seasons and not so good, times of beginnings and endings, times to laugh and times to cry. I’m sure we’ve all lived through such seasons ourselves or walked with loved ones who have.

In July I was watching the women’s Wimbledon final. Just a couple of days before, a tennis player celebrated a victory, winning the semi-final – only to experience defeat in the finals. A day of celebration for her, quickly followed by a day of feeling heartbroken. A reminder of the truth of this passage, of how seasons can change so quickly.

But often when we look back, we see God’s hand – His protection, His love, or valuable lessons that taught us key things for the journey we are on.

I have a grandson who is almost two years old and, at the moment, he doesn’t understand when we have to say he can’t have something. The word ‘no’ can create a whole range of emotions! He doesn’t understand why he can’t eat chocolate all day or why he can’t be in the driving seat of the car! We, as adults, understand the dangers that he can’t see just yet.

That ‘no’ is a loving ‘no’ from a heart that wants to love and protect him.

Sometimes our Heavenly Father has to say a loving ‘no’ to us and, although we can struggle with that word, we need to remember He sees the bigger picture. He loves us and wants to protect us and He knows what’s best for us, even when we don’t see it.

The Bible tells us of many stories of people who had to wait for God’s timing: Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for Issac after God promised them a son. David was anointed as a teenager but had to wait 15 years before he became king. Hannah longed for a child and Samuel was born just at the right time. Even Jesus waited 30 years before His ministry began.

Sometimes God says ‘no’, but other times it’s not really a ‘no’ – it’s more of a ‘not yet’. Learning to have patience in the waiting can be difficult. Sometimes the answer is ‘yes’, and other times we may experience a “suddenly” moment when something amazing happens in our lives that we never saw coming. Saul’s encounter on the Damascus road is a powerful example of such a moment.

Throughout all the seasons of our lives it’s good to remember Psalm 27:14: “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

So, let’s come before God with all our plans, desires, and the things we are waiting on Him for, and give them to Him afresh. Let’s ask God to help us to “be strong” as we wait and learn to submit to His clock.

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.