“There is a time for everything under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 3
I can mentally assent to the truth that God does everything in his proper time but I don’t always appreciate that truth experientially. Many times, I’d like God to expedite my prayer request and desires. I want them now! Why can’t he understand that? When I don’t get my way, I sometimes behave like my just-turned-three-year-old Iliana. I throw a tantrum. I moan and groan to God. I mope around–at least internally. But when I step back, I think about how distasteful unripe fruits and vegetables are. Or really anything that we eat uncooked or half-baked. There is a natural rhythm on the earth, seasons. There are seasons of life. There are natural rhythms and seasons in the spiritual life, too.
God is not a “shove-it-through-half-baked-sloppily-done” God. He does all things well and everything happens in its time. While we’re in the process of bearing fruit, really we shouldn’t be self-concious of it, that is unhealthy, but if we think of it for this particular metaphor, we must think about the fact that God wishes us to bear healthy, ripe fruit. He does not wish it to be plucked or offered until it is ripe.
All throughout the book of John we hear Jesus say, “My time has not yet come” or hear the disciples report “his time had not yet come.” Jesus did not do anything out of turn. He didn’t try to make a puzzle piece fit where it didn’t go. We often do that. And then we wonder why we are having trouble or why there is chaos in our lives.
If we would just submit to God’s timing, to the natural rhythm of his universe and kingdom, then we’d be filled with peace and see that he does make everything beautiful in his time.
Perfectly and simply stated to an impatient heart.
This really rings true in my heart…especially now, as all of the fields around us are growing so much. After reading this, I think of your lesson whenever I step outside! 🙂
I needed to be reminded of this, Marlena. Thanks, friend! 🙂
Honestly, I have a really difficult time getting a handle on what “God’s timing” means. I heard a story once about some missionaries that left east Asia right before the tsunami hit. Their grandmother said to them, “Isn’t God’s timing perfect?” But I’m left wondering, what about God’s timing for all the people that were obliterated in the tsunami? What happened there? I don’t think Solomon’s passage about a time for everything under the sun was supposed to be happy, sing-song poetic piece. I think it was full of desperation, grieving the fact that awful things happen, daily, and often the responsibility is ours. It’s such a sticky subject for me.
Jessica, I agree with you girl. There is a time for everything. Even death. It is hard. It is hard. And it’s not the way it should be. But there are seasons. And unfortunately, the way we die is not always seemingly beautiful.
Thanks so much for your words of wisdom…this is a great reminder to trust God, even when life doesn’t always make sense.