Time is relative.
What I mean by that is this: the way we experience it is subjective. It depends on what you're doing. Ever been on a date with someone you love? Time flies. Ever been on a date with someone you didn't like? Speed dating isn't fast enough.
The way we experience time also depends on how old we are. If you're six years-old, summer break is 4% of you life. If you're twenty-five, it's 1%. If you're fifty, it's .5%. The older you get, the faster time seems to fly because relatively speaking it becomes a smaller and smaller fraction of your life! By the way, that is why when you were a kid, a two-hour trip in the car seemed like an eternity because relatively speaking, it was much longer for you than the adult who was driving!
So what?
Well, I think most of us have a hard time handling a bad day. We have a very low threshold for circumstantial uncertainty or spiritual discontinuity. We need answers. And we need them now. I would suggest that we need some biblical perspective. When we look at our lives through the lens of Scripture, our perspective on time changes.
We have a hard waiting for God to fulfill His promise. But what about Abraham and Sarah? They had to wait 15 years before Isaac was born. We have a hard time suffering for a season. But what about the invalid in John 5 who was in that condition for 38 years. And that's when the average lifespan was 20-30. We have a hard time waiting for God to make sense of our circumstances. But what about Joseph? He was a slave and a prisoner for 17 years before becoming Prime Minister of Egypt. Or Moses? He was a fugitive for 40 years! And we have a hard time waiting to fulfill our calling. But even Jesus didn't transition from carpentry to ministry til he was 30.
We need to zoom out and get some biblical perspective. We think in days. But we might need to think in years. Here's what I know for sure: those that God wants to use the most have to go through the longest season of preparation. You might have to struggle a little bit longer so you can learn some more lessons or develop some more character. You might need to suffer a little bit longer so God can reveal a little bit more of His glory in your life!
What I'm getting at is this: trust His timing. He is never early. He is never late. As we grow spiritually, I think we take a different perspective on time. It's less about chronos--time. It's more about kairos--timing. And for the record, He is far more concerned about who you're becoming in the process than when you arrive at your destination. Maybe you need to quit praying for deliverance and start praying for revelation.
One last thought from Acts 1: "You don't get to the know the time. Timing is the Father's business."
Not much has changed has it?
What I mean by that is this: the way we experience it is subjective. It depends on what you're doing. Ever been on a date with someone you love? Time flies. Ever been on a date with someone you didn't like? Speed dating isn't fast enough.
The way we experience time also depends on how old we are. If you're six years-old, summer break is 4% of you life. If you're twenty-five, it's 1%. If you're fifty, it's .5%. The older you get, the faster time seems to fly because relatively speaking it becomes a smaller and smaller fraction of your life! By the way, that is why when you were a kid, a two-hour trip in the car seemed like an eternity because relatively speaking, it was much longer for you than the adult who was driving!
So what?
Well, I think most of us have a hard time handling a bad day. We have a very low threshold for circumstantial uncertainty or spiritual discontinuity. We need answers. And we need them now. I would suggest that we need some biblical perspective. When we look at our lives through the lens of Scripture, our perspective on time changes.
We have a hard waiting for God to fulfill His promise. But what about Abraham and Sarah? They had to wait 15 years before Isaac was born. We have a hard time suffering for a season. But what about the invalid in John 5 who was in that condition for 38 years. And that's when the average lifespan was 20-30. We have a hard time waiting for God to make sense of our circumstances. But what about Joseph? He was a slave and a prisoner for 17 years before becoming Prime Minister of Egypt. Or Moses? He was a fugitive for 40 years! And we have a hard time waiting to fulfill our calling. But even Jesus didn't transition from carpentry to ministry til he was 30.
We need to zoom out and get some biblical perspective. We think in days. But we might need to think in years. Here's what I know for sure: those that God wants to use the most have to go through the longest season of preparation. You might have to struggle a little bit longer so you can learn some more lessons or develop some more character. You might need to suffer a little bit longer so God can reveal a little bit more of His glory in your life!
What I'm getting at is this: trust His timing. He is never early. He is never late. As we grow spiritually, I think we take a different perspective on time. It's less about chronos--time. It's more about kairos--timing. And for the record, He is far more concerned about who you're becoming in the process than when you arrive at your destination. Maybe you need to quit praying for deliverance and start praying for revelation.
One last thought from Acts 1: "You don't get to the know the time. Timing is the Father's business."
Not much has changed has it?
24 Comments:
Mark, Your blog today reminds me of the great wisdom we glean from the legacy of African American Christianity. God as a "time God" is a common phrase and perspective in the historic Black Church. God does not come before time, after time, but just at the right time--as He sovereignly and affectionately knows the best time.
This word was for me today. Thank you.
Great reminder to me - we are in a season of "personal/spiritual" growth...dealing with difficult people. I always say that God delivers at 11:59:59- He is ALWAYS on time. Thanks for your evotional. Blessings, Charlene
This reminds me of a saying that a friend of mine used to tell me..."God is rarely early, but never late."
I was struck this morning w/Paul engaging with Felix for 2 years....let alone that 2 years IN PRISON....
Mark-
I'm new to your blog, thanks to a link a couple ago from Doc. K.
I have really been enjoying the posts. I am blessed by your message today. In a season of silence, I needed the reminder about God's timing. Every word was a "home run". Praise God. Thank you.
I've noticed that about time too. I'm often too goal-oriented,working for the end prize, instead of enjoying the journey along the way. Thanks for the reminder to keep a "biblical perspective."
Love your advice:
"Maybe you need to quit praying for deliverance and start praying for revelation."
thanks. Trusting his timing means for me to lose, let go and give up.
Actively waiting...
Thanks for the wisdom. Oh, how it's hard to be in the middle of the waiting, but it's exactly where I am supposed to be right now!
Just want to say thanks. I needed to hear that and be reminded of that. Thank you.
Thanks, I needed that today.
I read your blog for the first time today and it was Perfect. God has been revealing himself to me and growing me in new ways the last few months, and reading your post was confirmation to keep pressing on, keep praising, keep trusting...and keep waiting!
What is the Biblical basis for God choosing to use some "more" than others? I mean this to be a seeking question rather than a criticizing question.
And, how can we really define the ways in which God has used one person more than another?
And if we can't define those things, how can we reconcile that some go through these longer seasons of preparation?
Hey Mark,
That is a solid word today. Exactly what I needed to hear. I am a youth pastor out in Puyallup, Washington and have read your blog for about a year. This one by far has my name on it. This last weekend was rough and for affected my confidence. I was encouraged to read those that God uses in a big way often find themselves waiting just a bit longer for God to say "YES". All the way from Puyallup, Thank You!
Jenny,
Check out II Tim 2:20-21. God uses some people "more" and some people "less." Some for "noble" purposes. Others not so much. It's tough to measure. And I'm not minimizing qualitative impact. But God uses different people in different ways. And if we are faithful, he'll use us to have an even greater impact. You can also see this in the parable of the talents.
All I'm suggesting, based on the biblical record, is that the people uses to have the most influence often go through the greatest and longest challenges. I don't see it in Scripture. I also see it in others and in myself.
Hope that helps clarify.
Mark
Mark,
Thanks, that does help a bit. I am a bit confused by your second paragraph, though. Would you be willing to continue this conversation via e-mail?
Jenny
Jenny,
Funny. I'm confused by my second paragraph :) Must be late!
I meant to say...I don't "just" see it in Scripture. I see it in my life :)
Other thoughts? questions?
Happy to dialogue!
Mark
This is exactly what I needed to hear today. Just did my devotions on God's timing today and kind of had a break down moment questioning the Lord's timing and his way of working in my life. It's tough when we don't understand the bigger picture. Thank you for sharing, I am always blessed by your blog posts. One day I hope to be part of NCC again! In the meantime, I am serving the Lord in Hawaii :)
Mark,
That does make more sense. Thanks. :-)
Do you use NIV? Which says "noble" and "ignoble" in 2 Tim 2:20, right? I typically use NRSV, which uses "special" and "ordinary." To me, the words have very different connotations and I'm wondering what the Greek is? But I lack a lexicon and other useful tools right now.
Regardless, I understand the concept that the more you refine your life, the more you are able to reflect God (and, thus, the more He is able to use you for His purpose). And, to some extent, that God will let you go through seasons of preparation so that you become more refined.
But... I struggle with the idea that God "chooses" to have some go through more struggles so that He can use them "more." Or that He "wants" to use some more than others. To me, that says God has favorites among us... those who are worth spending more time and energy on... which is an idea that doesn't sit well with me.
Are you able to tell - do we have a difference of opinion/interpretation here or am I being too literal with your words? I know I value precision of language more than some.
Jenny
Very "timely" post. :)
Jenny,
I hear what you're saying. and it makes me a little uncomfortable too. But I think His sovereignty is beyond our grasp. Why does he call and destine and use certain people to do certain things? Not sure. But I know He does.
Might be helping to think of God using all of us in "different" ways. Or maybe read about the "body" in I Corinthians 12. Some people are "arms" others "legs" and some "nose hairs." We have different functions.
In terms of suffering, I'm not suggesting that God is the cause in all or most cases. But He does allow it. And it serves a valuable purpose.
I think it's good to wrestle with this stuff :)
Mark
Mark,
I'd love to continue this conversation, but I just feel this medium is making it too difficult.
So, I wanted to say thanks for the chat. It was was good. It was fun.
Jenny
Mark,
I had to read this post a couple of times because it is so relevant to where I am currently. Thanks!
As I have read through your conversation with Jenny I had a thought...Perhaps it is not really about who God chooses to use and how but more about how WE CHOOSE to respond to what God is doing in our lives...just a thought.
Hi Mark, this is an incredible and timely (ha!) reminder of my need to trust that God knows what He's doing. Believing that he does, and trusting that he does are proving to be quite, quite different. I have been reading it everyday to remind me that I need to take a step back, breathe, and remember that I'm ok! Thanks!
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