"My times are in your hands” has become a part of my life. When I have been in a waiting period for a breakthrough, an answer to prayer, or a victory, these words have reassured me. The Lord's timing is always perfect, intentional, and loving. We are not forgotten when our plans are delayed or our schedules are disrupted. God continues to teach me about his timing, and instead of worrying about things, I know that He is shaping me to be more like him as I trust, abide, and depend on him while I wait.
We have all walked through seasons marked by loss, struggles, waiting, or questions. Recently, on a trip from NYC, with our granddaughter and daughter, we were met with many unexpected delays and cancellations that lasted for two days. To make things worse, our luggage had already been checked; we were all exhausted, frustrated, and desperate. After collective prayer, we decided to Uber to Long Island and change airlines so we could get home.
During this time of “grounding and waiting,” an elderly woman from another country approached me, clearly needing help with getting to her destination. After a 20-minute dialogue and a lot of hand gestures (due to the language barrier), her conflict was resolved. Before I left, she pointed upward, touched her heart, and with her tonal accent said, “God will take care of you and your family,” and gently touched our granddaughter’s head.
We were thankful we made it home safely at last. As we reminisced about God’s faithfulness we realized that the entire ordeal mirrored another very deep trial our family had been going through, and how we had been waiting on the Lord. We were reminded of how the Holy Spirit guided, protected, went before, and taught us deep trust and surrender.
What are some areas of your life where you are struggling to trust God’s timing? How can these delays become an opportunity for you to listen to God, rest in His timing, and encourage someone else? In the book Joyful Surrender, Elisabeth Elliot prays, “Lord, when there are interruptions, it seems that the disposal of time I had planned so well has slipped out of my hands. Help me to remember that it has not slipped out of yours. In your hands, these unexpected things will be fashioned into an unexpectedly beautiful design.” God sees the whole picture, and when the time is right, he brings forth his goodness, the answer, and the blessing.
Dear God, thank you for being the King of our hearts and our lives. When our minds doubt your timing, please lead us back to your promises and remind us of your character. Thank you for making everything beautiful in your time. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Throughout this day: take a moment to listen to Jeremy Camp’s Out of My Hands
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Photo Credit: Vitaly Gariev