Lessons in timing.
I’ve been thinking a lot about God’s still, small voice calling and directing our lives. His intentionality in guiding my life, as well as millions of other lives is an overwhelming puzzle to try to understand. I could never do it… which is one, among many, reasons I could never be God.
Sometimes His call on my life has been big – like my most recent one, and other calls are seemingly smaller - like how I should spend my vacation days or which people I should invest in during a given week. But regardless of the seeming size of the call; we are asked to respond. And that can be a daunting task when we don’t see the big picture.
A bible study I’m working through recently asked me this question & it really struck me: How do you normally respond when God asks you to do something but doesn’t reveal the details? I realize that I typically respond by timidly moving forward, while at the same time, asking a million questions. And the funny thing is… He rarely answers my multitudes of questions right then and there… and it ends up taking much longer for me to see the glorious plan He is hoping to reveal to me one day because of my timid response.
Timing. God has impeccable timing… I most certainly do not.
We see in John 16:14 that Jesus chose not to share all the things He wanted to with His disciples on their last night together because they “cannot bear them now.” The disciples had reached their capacity to hear and understand His plan… so recognizing this, Jesus stops. I think He does this with us all the time. He gives us the information we need to carry out the step we are on in our journey and when He knows we’re ready, He reveals more. Priscilla Shirer writes, “While our insatiable desire to know it all seems to rarely be satisfied, we must discipline ourselves to place confidence in His decision to give us the information we need to successfully accomplish the step we are on in the journey. He doesn’t withhold information because He doesn’t love you but because of His great love for you” (96).
I find a lot of comfort in that final line. God isn’t withholding information to tempt me or to make me question everything – He is withholding it because He knows I’m not ready to hear it – perhaps because I’m too overwhelmed with the next step He is asking me to move toward to handle more information. He is doing it because He loves me!
What an incredible God we serve. I want to follow Him wherever He leads – even when I don’t see or understand what He is doing. I believe this to be true: My God is one who has deep, unconditional love for His people & He will reveal things in His perfect timing. He is AMAZING!!
Bravo Christy for voicing what many are too fearful to share!! I too have gone through the same process regarding My Heavenly Father, still am. It dosen’t go away depending on how many experiences you have; that is the beauty of life, of Love, of God!!! What I once dread, I now fully embrace and snuggle up to, and purr like a satiated kitty! My experiences are full of questions and wonder and even though not all answers/clarity comes when I want them to, I have my awareness and knowing that it will be bestowed upon me with Love! Thank you for your post!