Time

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV).

For the past few weeks, I have been thinking a lot about the word time.  Some years back, God spoke to me during my quiet time with Him and all He said was time.  I remember writing it down wondering what He meant by it and I had all these thoughts about what it could mean.  Today as I write all I can think about is how time plays such a huge role in our daily walks of life.  You are probably thinking of course that is how we know when to get up in the morning, go to bed, etc.  I am thinking on a more spiritual level (i.e., patience, worry, processes).  The above scripture says there is a time for everything and a season for every activity.  Yet we still lack patience while God is working behind the scenes or worry during every season that is a valley experience.  I am the first to confess and admit I have fallen short in these areas on many occasions.

One of my old pastors used to say you have to go through the process.  I used to despise that word.  Every single time I heard it I cringed.  Today I realize now going through the process is how we grow and mature, how we become better, how we learn and most of all how God prepares us for our next level in Him.  I can see now that I have not always been enjoying the process.  I have literally rushed time by because of not liking the “uncomfortable” or “hard” places however, I challenged myself to begin embracing my processes more.  In the long run I can only become a better version of me and be who God has ordained me to be.  This will ensure I am the shepherd God speaks about: “Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding” (Jeremiah 3:15 NIV).

During a visit with my therapist, we realized that I had been allowing others to rush my processes.  Instead of taking time to learn, time to heal, time to learn how to shepherd, time to learn how to truly become one with God, time to truly do the things that my heart so desires, I allowed others to put a time stamp on my processes.  In therapy it is called being a caretaker of others and abandoning self.  God does not intend for us to abandon our temples.  Our cup has to run over in order for us to pour into others.  We cannot pour into others with an empty cup.  I am not sure who this is for, but you are stronger than you think.  Life has a way of throwing curve balls believe me I know.  Even some of our greatest heroes in the Bible had moments where they struggled with their process (i.e., Moses, Jeremiah, David).  Just because we do not see it does not mean God is not working.  One thing I know God is always working out the details whether we see it or not.  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV).

I will leave you with this regarding time.  Recently I was going through a process where my faith was being tested.  Fear and anxiety gripped me, and I even started questioning God.  See, even leaders have moments of weaknesses.  Day after day I would ask God, “where are You?” or “I cannot feel Your presence, have You forsaken me?”  One day I found my strength and I prayed and released it to God and told Him, “not my will but Your will be done.”  I no longer focused on the situation or what the outcome would be and in God’s timing, He blessed me and gave me beauty for my ashes.  It did not happen on my timetable, but it happened at the right time.  My grandmother sings an old song called prayer changes things.  I am a firm believer that prayer truly does change things.  It might not change on our time clock but remember God’s time is the best time.  He might set the clock back a few hours every now and then but keep the faith and do not stop believing.  Always remember during your darkest hours light will always overcome darkness.