Synchronizing Watches

I just finished reading a book series called the Christy Miller Collection by Robin Jones Gunn. It came highly recommended by a couple of my close girlfriends. The fictional series tells the story of Christy Miller as she discovers what it means to be a follower of Jesus. As she begins to walk in the path of righteousness, Christy learns some tough lessons about just how much it truly costs to yield completely to God in all areas of her life. She discovers that God's will and timing are complex, wonderful, and mysterious.

This semester, I have also had to come to terms with the fact that God's timing is strange and perfect at the same time. He does not operate within the same time frame that I do. God isn't bound by time at all. He operates from an eternal perspective while I am limited to the temporal. My finite understanding of His will and timing is frustrating. God sees every moment as an opportunity to bring Him glory, honor, and praise. Still, I struggle to see His goodness in every season of life. Ecclesiastes 3 speaks beautifully of God's timing. This is what it says:

“There is a time for everything,

            and a season for every activity under heaven:

            a time to be born and a time to die,

            a time to plant and a time to uproot,

            a time to kill and a time to heal,

            a time to tear down and a time to build,

            a time to weep and a time to laugh,

            a time to mourn and a time to dance,

            a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

            a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

            a time to search and a time to give up,

            a time to keep and a time to throw away,

            a time to tear and a time to mend,

            a time to be silent and a time to speak,

            a time to love and a time to hate,

            a time for war and a time for peace.

…He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 11)

Ecclesiastes 3:11 puts into words the frustrations of my heart regarding God's timing. All around me, I can see beauty in His timing. I see Him at work in nature, in relationships, in His church. He is accomplishing His purposes in magnificent ways! He has placed before my eyes the wonders of eternity, and yet I cannot understand what I'm seeing. Sometimes, God just doesn't make sense! But that's because I am thinking of God in human terms. God's ways are infinitely higher than my ways. It's no wonder they confuse and frustrate me!

The Bible assures me that God knows the desires of my heart (Psalm 139). The Bible also promises that when those desires are godly desires, they will be given to me (Psalm 37:4). However, God is not a vending machine. He does not bend to our demands for instant gratification. Instead, He gives to us our portion according to His perfect timing in order to accomplish His purposes and magnify His name. There are many pure and holy desires of my heart that I long to have fulfilled. But God has told me to wait, and wait I shall. In the meantime, I pray that God will metaphorically synchronize my watch with His and teach me to be satisfied with what I've already been given.