Being the father of two darling little girls, I’m often reminded of their timeless lives, that is, the lives they live without concept of time. Recognizing little more than whether the sun is “awake or asleep”, they’re content to take each day as it comes. This principle is magnified when an exciting event is on the horizon—a trip to the fair or a birthday party. Each morning ushers the predictable question, “Is today my birthday?” “Are we going to the fair today?”
“Not yet, chica. Just forty-two more days.”
In their timeless wishfulness, I simply offer them more ambiguity. I might as well tell them their birthday is forty-two years away. What matters to them in the moment is that it is simply not today. But what I’ve come to admire in and learn from my daughters is their persistent hope and contentment. Without doubt, they know their birthday is indeed coming and are content to know that Daddy will let them know when it is.
If I may encourage those of you who are single; those of you who are questioning your worth based on your availability; those of you seemingly toeing the line of a life-sentence of loneliness. I have just recently discovered this principle: God is never in a hurry.
This in fact is the most frustrating, yet satisfying aspect I’ve come to know about our God in recent times. We’re all fairly well versed in the passage, “My ways are not your ways and My thoughts are not your thoughts.” And without adding to the Scriptures, but finding the theme throughout them, I also propose, His timing is not our timing.
“Easy for you to say – you were married at 19 years old.”
In the realm of marriage, yes, it is easier for me to say, however, I’ve experienced how excruciating this aspect of God can be in countless other areas of my life. So much so, that I readily surrender to His ways and His thoughts, though not to His timing.
“God, I’ll do it Your way… right now.”
I’ve even been so bold as to put an expiration date on my trust.
“Father, if I haven’t heard from You by tomorrow, I’ll assume…”
The “danger” of a God who is never in a hurry is that He can easily be misunderstood as not caring. In everyday life we so often interpret another’s eagerness and anticipation as validation of their interest in our lives. This leaves lack of eagerness and anticipation to convey a lack of interest in our lives.
“Hey, wanna grab coffee sometime?!”
“Would next year work for you?”
But I’d like to challenge the very concept I proposed and one you may be subscribing to. Just because God isn’t in a hurry doesn’t mean He’s not eager or anticipating great things in your life.
For example, just because I’m not in a hurry for my five-year-old to get her driver’s license doesn’t mean I’m not eager or anticipating her healthy independence. It simply reveals how important the timing is.
The Scriptures are clear, God is immensely interested in the minutia of our lives. He’s been relentlessly pursuing our hearts since conception. And His timing is perfect.
If you’re single, take heart. God is eager. God is anticipating. God is interested.
Recognizing little more than whether the sun is “awake or asleep”, my daughters are content to take each day as it comes. And their persistent hope and contentment are the results of trust: trust in Daddy to let them know when the time is right.
