01 Aug W3: Trusting God’s Timing
REFERENCE BIBLE VERSES
Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV | He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
OBJECTIVES
To understand that God’s timing is different from ours and what we can do in waiting.
CONTENT
- It is God’s Timing, Not Ours
- Living in today’s fast-paced world, the desire for instant gratification has become deeply ingrained in our culture. We want things quickly, easily and with minimal effort. We have our own agenda and plan, hoping God will execute it according to our timeline and when it doesn’t happen we ask God “when God? when?”
- We like to think we know what is best for us. But only God knows the best path for our lives. The tendency to want to know everything can be detrimental in our walk with God. We need to learn to trust the One who knows all things.
- God is never late but generally He isn’t early either. Time in God’s eyes moves at different speeds from time in ours. God uses time to stretch our faith in Him and to bring changes & growth in our lives. For example how Abraham waited for Isaac.
- It is critically important that we learn to rely on God’s timing more than our own. God has this blueprint for our life that we won’t understand but He’ll make it beautiful and purposeful in His time for everything. What He meant by beautiful is appropriate, fitting, right. Let’s be still and know what He has for us is better than anything we could have planned for ourselves.
- Our job is not to figure out when, but to make up our mind that we won’t give up until we cross the finish line.
- ”But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.“ 2 Peter 3:8-9 NIV
- Trust God While Waiting
- Many people want to change but they don’t want to go through the waiting process. If we wait the wrong way, we’ll be miserable but if we decide to wait God’s way, we can develop patience and enjoy the wait. Shift your focus from impatience to obedience. Timing and trust work side by side. Although it can be frustrating not knowing the exact timing, we can learn to live in hope and enjoy the season while God is working on our problems.
- We all don’t live in the same season at the same time. Everyone has their own season. Never be jealous of someone who is enjoying harvest while you’re still in the planting season. They go through a season of planting just as you are. Seeing their results should be an encouragement for us. Understand and trust that God is doing the very best for you in your present season.
- ”Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.“ Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
- Resting can be an act of faith. It means you’re waiting on God. Jesus is always with you and you can always trust His timing. If you’re delayed on the way to your dream, stop worrying and start trusting God to work in you and through you.
REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTION
- What breakthrough are you waiting for? What do you think God is trying to teach you while your breakthrough is delayed?
- Knowing that it is not God’s time yet, how does it change the way we plan towards our goals/dreams?
RESOURCES