Timing is Everything

Ok, I admit it: I am one of the world's most impatient people. I am impatient, stubborn, aggravated, frustrated, and untrusting-- without God. Over time (the theme of this post), God has brought us-- verrrrrryyyyyyy ssssloowwwllllyyyyyyy-- into our purpose for Him. No matter how hard we have tried to convince Him we know best, it never quite changed things. Along the way, kicking and screaming couldn't move Him to hurry. Tears surely didn't budge His will. Begging and pleading, reasoning, promises... None of this changed the ever- steady hand of God from moving in His timing.
What we have to understand is that every single ounce of the plan belongs to the story. Without one tiny element, the path diverts to another outcome entirely. Time, position, people, circumstances must fall exactly where they belong for God's will to be complete.
Every minute of your day is a part of His orchestration. Every decision extends into a wake of purpose. Your life will touch a life because of where God has you. If one detail was amiss, the plan is foiled. That's why obedience is so very important. That's why relationship with Him is so important. If we aren't able to recognize that still, small voice- we aren't able to act according to His instruction. When God nudges, it's always for a reason. God isn't big on suggestions. Every time He spoke in His word, it is exactly what He meant.
So, learn to hear from Him. ASK Him to teach you how to walk according to His will. Let Him know you long to learn His voice so that you can carry out His heart's desires.
All those times I felt like God was this big bully, I realize now, were Him achieving His plan. I see aspects of my life, or even people for that matter, that would not have been in it had I gotten what I thought I needed at a certain time.
Those people and aspects are now valuable and beautiful to my story.
A story He's writing to mesh into His beautiful plan.
Just like a child that cries for something it cannot have, it is always because the parent sees the big picture. The child begs, wails, sheds tears, gets hurt... But someday they will understand. It will make perfect sense to Abrie that I didn't feed her whole pieces of meat while she was crying to be fed. Because while she was throwing a fit, I was tearing them down to small edible pieces that could be digested for her benefit. God is the same way. And I'm sure we seem like that pestering child behind him, asking over and over, "Now? How about Now? Now, Dad? Well, how about Now? I'm ready now. You ready, Dad? Now's great for me."
It all boils down to trust. Do we trust that His grace is sufficient? That every tiny step in the road leads to a giant stretch traveled and gets us to HIS destination. We will look back and say, Yes, He truly did know what He was doing. If God had given me things I begged for 2 months, 1 year, 3 years, 10 years ago, my life would be drastically different- and I wouldn't dare take now what I thought I needed then. Our God is a God of details, folks. We are like grains of sand, and Yet, our story matters to Him. Not only does it achieve His purpose, but He works things out for OUR personal good along the way.
He's so wonderful :)
So, yes, without God, I am impatient and untrusting. But, because of His amazing grace, I can see that there's a very full picture awaiting me and He gets to connect those dots. Just like those Connect the Dot pictures when we were children. 4 does not get to come before 3. We have to follow the sequence for the picture to make perfect sense. And so is our lives...
Praise God, the ultimate story teller and designer! Thank you God, for timing and teaching me what it is to wait!