Don’t Rush Out of God’s Timing

Ever get so excited to see what God has in store that you find yourself losing patience? Ever feel like that dream He placed in your heart will never come to pass? Ever feel like the vision He shared with you will always come tomorrow? I know you can’t see it, but I’m raising my hand. I’ve been there, more times than I care to remember. Sometimes, I’m still there.

          I mean, I know God’s timing is perfect. I know that His timing is almost never my timing, and yet, sometimes I still struggle against that feeling of urgency that percolates and threatens to bubble over into stress and anxiety. And then I remember one, poignant memory from high school that calms my mind and settles me into rest, trusting in the perfect love and wisdom of my Father.

          It started out as a relatively typical school day. Get up, shower, eat, race to the car and drive to school. Now, when I say “drive to school” I don’t mean a five or ten minute zip across town. I went to a Christian school about 45 minutes away from my house, so, there was no quick zip for me to get to school. Now, I said relatively typical school day because this wasn’t quite a normal day. I had a dentist appointment in the afternoon, and since my school was so far away from home, my mom had already made arrangements for me to get out early so I would be sure to be on time for the appointment.

          Now, it’s not like I didn’t like school and my friends, but, hey, who can blame a 16-year-old for not wanting to get out as early as possible? I remember asking permission from my Spanish teacher…several times…to leave class at the beginning, then middle, then, oh, please, just ten minutes earlier? But, no, she was firm. I had permission to leave at a certain time and not one minute earlier. I think she even had it down to the second.

          I remember somewhat begrudgingly accepting that the timeframe set by my mom was cemented in place. I guess there would be no stops for cappuccinos or fruit and yogurt parfaits. But FINALLY the long-awaited moment came, and I was released! I rushed out to my car, tossed my backpack and books in the passenger seat, and hit the accelerator. I had every intention of speeding through every back road home. I honestly have no idea why I had this urgency inside of me, but for some reason, I just felt behind schedule and, as a young teen, had no qualms about hitting the gas pedal.

          However, there were others on the road who lacked the same carefree spirit, most likely, the level of pressure they applied to the gas was tempered by experience and wisdom, and I got stuck behind every single one of them. No sooner did I pass one, but there was another, going at exactly the speed limit, right in front of me. I think I even got stuck behind someone going on a mid-week afternoon country ride who was going below the speed limit. Then there was the Amish horse and buggy…or two. You get the picture. If there was a vehicle or buggy to get stuck behind, I managed to find it. Oh, I was so frustrated! Now, I was worried about being late. If only I had been allowed to leave class when I wanted to leave, this would have never happened! I would have been able to joy ride, make a fun stop somewhere, and still make my appointment on time. Now, I was beginning to sweat as I watched the minutes slip away as I hit the brake yet again.

          That’s when it happened. YES! FINALLY! The person in front of me turned off the road, and I had a beautiful, traffic-free lane. I hit the gas, and my car picked up speed. This didn’t last long, as a pretty big bend came up in the road, then SCREECH! I slammed on the brakes and came to a full stop. I remember looking at the scene in front of me, my face had to have gone white, and my hands began to shake.

          There, in front of me, a red car had veered from my lane through the opposite lane, and off the shoulder. In front of me, a HUGE tractor trailer had lost control, entered the lane I was driving in, went up a hill, and almost hit someone’s house. There were no cops and no ambulances. Not yet. I knew that if my timing had happened that day at any juncture, if I had gotten there even two minutes before I did, the possibility that I would have been injured…or dead…was very real. Too real that day. Fortunately, no one was injured, and I was able to continue on my way. I remember making it to my appointment (a little late, I think), so grateful to be alive, realizing how easily the day could have had a very different ending. I remember praising God and thanking Him for His protection for all involved, and never forgot the lesson I learned that day about trusting in God’s timing and wisdom. No, His timing isn’t ours, and we may not always understand it this side of Heaven, but His timing is rooted in His eternal perspective, wisdom, and perfect love.

          So, if you’re struggling with feeling like you’re in a season of delay and that obstacle after obstacle keeps coming your way, I want to encourage you to choose trust in God. You may not be able to see the tractor trailer down the road, but God does. God has a special, unique plan for you, and He knows the perfect way…and time…for you to get there. It can be hard to see those situations that appear to be obstacles as anything but a frustrating situation (I know, I’ve been there!!), but if we choose to see life through a lens of faith, those obstacles can become stepping stones of growth that actually help us get where He wants us to go rather than circumstances that beat us down and bring defeat. Praise God!

          Thank You, God, for being our Overcomer and for enabling us to live in Your victory. I will choose to trust in Your plans and timing today. I choose to lay down my perspectives, my understanding, my anxiety, and my stress at Your feet. Lord, I will rest in Your wisdom, understanding, and eternal perspective. Amen.