A Matter Of Timing
While there are SO many issues and challenges we struggle with as we stand for the restoration of our marriages, the most difficult even after learning to deal with and overcome many others is waiting and putting all of our trust and confidence in God’s perfect timing! In the world of instant gratification we live in, waiting is not often required, yet it is a very essential part of standing for marriage restoration. And HOW we wait is very important in terms of the message we send to God and the world about our faith in His power and faithfulness. And the reason it’s so important to wait for God’s perfect timing is because there are often many time factors that could very significantly impact our situations, and many times these are things we don’t even know about, but God does. That’s why we have to put our trust in Him and rely on His awesome promise in Romans 8:28 (NASB), which says And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. The following passages of scripture help us understand how important timing is to God, because He has everything in HIS control and He had everything concerning us planned out long before our existence. They also teach us a lot about what God expects us to do while we’re waiting and what some of the awesome blessings and rewards of waiting for Him will be:
Psalm 69:13
But I pray to you, O LORD, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
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 3:17
I thought in my heart, “God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed.”
Ecclesiastes 7:14
When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.
Isaiah 64:4
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
1 Corinthians 2:7
No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.
1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
1 Timothy 6:11-16
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
1 Peter 5:6-7
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Psalm 5:3
In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
Psalm 27:14
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
Psalm 33:20
We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
Psalm 37:7
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Psalm 37:34
Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
Psalm 119:166
I wait for your salvation, O LORD, and I follow your commands.
Psalm 130:5
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.
Isaiah 26:8
Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.
Lamentations 3:26
it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
Isaiah 30:18
Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
Last Sunday Dr. Charles Stanley’s TV broadcast message was about God’s Schedule, and it’s a very encouraging message that reminds us of how important timing is in our lives as Christians, especially when we examine the lives of people in the Bible and see what a difference timing made in their lives. So let’s be wisely patient and wait to see what God has in store for us when the time, HIS TIME, is right!