Perfect Timing

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"Perfect Timing" By Diane Webb

Psalms 33: 20—"Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help
and our shield."

The Lord is always on time. His timing is perfect. Many times we jump ahead and do our own thing because we get tired of waiting, we are scared, or we think the Lord has said "no" to our prayer. Sometimes we mistake the wrong thing for God's answer or help. There is an old saying, "never marry the first person who asks you"; indicating the best person is not always the first person. This applies to opportunities as well. Sometimes the first opportunity that presents itself to you, especially if you are experiencing a bad time, is a decoy to get you diverted away from the Godly opportunity which is still on its way to you. We don't wait long enough for God sometimes. Then we get caught up in mistakes that sometimes take years to sort out. Wait on the Lord. It will be worth the wait. Nothing is worse than making a major life decision wrongly because of impatience, discouragement, or fear. People marry the wrong person because they are afraid to be alone. People take the wrong jobs because they are afraid of not being able to get a better one. Waiting on God means to trust him to provide and fulfill what he has promised to you in his own time. His perfect time is never late. God will shield you as you wait and he will help you endure what you have to endure. God's biggest gift of help to us, after Jesus Christ, is the Holy Spirit. Right there is your source for strength, hope, patience, and wisdom. Ask for the Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide you. Ask the Lord to advise you on every decision you make. Wait on his time so you don't lose years learning things the hard way. Submit; it's the easier way to learn God's will and fulfill his purpose for you. Do not get discouraged as you wait on God. Discouragement is another thing that prompts us to make hasty decisions rather than wait on God. We are discouraged and feel we will never get the help we need. We grasp at the next chance to have some semblance of hope in the future. But it's a false hope because it is not what God has willed. Just like Ishmael was not the promised son of Abraham, for years he appeared to be. Abraham allowed himself to be convinced this was the fulfillment of God's promise when, in fact, it was not. Because Abraham listened to Sarah and did not wait for God, Ishmael and his mother ended up suffering for the error. Ishmael was sent away by his father thereby suffering the consequences of his father's mistake. There are sometimes many people who pay the price when we do not wait on God. Sometimes the effects of our errors go for generations. Waiting on God is not only wise it is mandatory if we want to have the life God has ordained for us. God will help us clean up our mistakes and he will help us get back on the right path—just as he still gave Sarah and Abraham Isaac. It just involves more hardship, suffering, and time when we try to do it our way first. None of us are perfect and God understands that. He tries to help us in spite of ourselves (Thank God). He shields us from danger and Satan's influence when we don't even know it. He ensures his will is eventually fulfilled—he just needs our cooperation and obedience if we want his will in a smooth and perfect way. Otherwise, his will is evident after much wailing and gnashing of teeth so to speak.

My Father, help me discern your will and especially know when I am suppose to just wait. Keep me from grabbing at the wrong opportunities when they present themselves. Help me have faith you will guide me and protect me in a perfect way. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.