In His Time

I remember a song from my small town church years ago which repeated the refrain, “In His time, in His time…”  I didn’t realize at the ripe old age of 12 what it meant to wait for His time.

Last week, a magazine published a kind article about me and my blog as well as how I speak and write in addition to practicing law.  The words of that song flashed in neon across my mind as I stood reading the article.  You see, I’d reached out to that same magazine in 2013 as my book was about to release hoping they’d write a review of the book.  Thanks, but no thanks, I heard back.  We plan our articles a year in advance.  We’ll make a note in our files about the book.

And that was that.

Until this past year when one of the editors booked me to speak at an event she was organizing. Afterward, she suggested the magazine profile me.  This was far more than I could have asked or imagined, three years ago this month. The article featured so much more about who I am and why I write.

My original God’s timing story is the one of our years of infertility.  Little did we know at the time that God was saving us from heartache. A tumor had taken up residence in my uterus which would have crushed any embryo who attached.  I could never have asked or imagined a tumor would be removed, and the very next year, to the month of the tumor removal, we welcomed the triplets into our home.

It’s happened over and over again I’m certain, but I’m recognizing it all the time now.  These past two years are a series of examples of His timing.  From the small to the large. From professional miracles to events in my family.

The summer of my book release, I tried and tried to find speaking engagements.  Every request I made went unreturned or uninterested.  When I stopped, He started.  Every single speaking engagement I have accepted, over 20 in each 2014 and 2015, came through no work or connection of my own.  I will get a random call, email, or LinkedIn request.  Each God-selected and God-timed.

This year, God helped me move from a season of accepting requests out of a fear of scarcity (if I say no, I’ll never be asked again) to making decisions confident in His security and provision (if I say no, He keeps providing, and if the requests dry up, I’m okay with what He has next).

His timing.

He works things out, down to the smallest detail, but only In His Time. 

Just last month, my faith was tested yet again.  (One of my dreaming sisters says each test we pass takes us to new level in our faith and the tests only become more challenging.)  I had been assigned a work trip in a remote destination for a week.  I didn’t mind the trip, but it was moved to the week before the triplets seventh birthday.  If flights and weather cooperated, I would arrive Friday night hours before little bit’s birthday party on Saturday and the boys birthday party (at home) on Sunday.  I prayed and quoted scripture and said I had the faith of a mustard seed. Surely He could change Air Canada’s travel policy so I wouldn’t have to go.

Nothing. I gave up. Moved forward as if I would go on the trip and trust His hand to get me home in time.  That week, He sat me next to the very two people who put someone else on the trip and enabled me to cancel my trip.

His timing.

From breaking up to losing a job to moving to a new city to infertility to self-doubt and insecurity, I can see Him weaving purpose in every setback and failure and delay now.

I did not see it then.

But I see it now.

And I just pray, every day, He will keep my eyes on today.  I pray He will keep me from seeing what is to come.  I pray He will allow my future to stay unknown (a particularly painful prayer for a control freak). He has shown me over and over when I take my hands off the wheel, He steers me in the best direction.  I may encounter delays, storms, and darkness, but when I arrive safely to shore, in His time, it’s always worth the wait.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory for ever and ever. Ephesians 3:20

Shared by: Gindi Vincent