Take a quick look up, shifting your gaze from that book you are probably immersed in, TV you may be watching anticipating the next action from that movie or words of the newscaster, or even food you may be savoring. But, don’t look just anywhere, look at the clock. It’s constantly ticking. The second hand is deliberate and sassy about its slow motion, the minute hand is a tad slower, moving one minute at a time and the hour hand, the slowest of them all, elegant about its movement, unaware of any growing anticipation within you.
Yet, something is constant about the clock: its constituents wait for no one and every person in the world has their seconds, minutes, hours reserved for them.
There is time for everything and everyone. The clock though should not be the sole factor in measuring time: days, weeks, months, since even seasons possess this spectacular ability. As children of God, we have expectations and at the back of our minds, we want the manifestation of these expectations at a specific period in life. So we turn to God giving him the specific time, date or day we want these things to happen. But have we considered that God’s time is not man’s time? That God’s time does not match the beat of humanity’s clock- His seconds may equate to days for us, his minutes, week’s in our timeline and his hour, month’s or even years on earth. God’s own calendar is vastly different from our own.
We may find ourselves beginning to feel weary and impatient. He assured us in the words of St Paul to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 12:9): “My grace is sufficient for thee, for my power is made perfect in weakness”. During trying periods, we should see them as a test of patience and faith. In times like these, our current situations spark questions from the ache in our hearts. Questions begin to surface from a heart that has become saturated with thoughts and possibilities of His silence.
We are assured in times like this by God’s promise: “Being sure of this very thing that he who has begun this good thing will bring it to completion.” The same God who will bring it to completion will do so at the right time, at a time when things are perfect and when he knows you are ready when the outcome is at its zenith. In life, God’s timing is similar to the final stroke required to make the final art piece captivating, the moment when all the intricate threads converge to create a breathtaking design. We may not grasp the artistry in His timing, but we must learn to trust it.
In the quiet moments that feel like eternity, there is a divine unfolding, slowly like the minute hand, gradually like the seconds hand but definitely like the hour hand, you will get your response. We may not comprehend it now-the pain and the waiting like the pangs of childbirth, but, it’s then our patience, endurance and persistence are forged and strengthened. We later learn to appreciate the traits that were born in the crucible of waiting. It’s in the waiting that we discover the depths of our faith, the extent of our trust, and the unwavering love that God has for us. It’s here that we understand that God’s timing is not a delay but a purposeful unfolding of His plan for our lives. We are not forgotten but being prepared for something greater. His silence is not indifference. It’s a prelude to something magnificent.
So, as the clock continues its rhythmic dance, as the second hand ticks with its sassy flair, as the minutes’ hand circumvent slowly and the hours gracefully move, let us remember that God’s timing is perfect.
For when God’s time and our time finally converge, the beauty of His plan will be revealed- the final work of art. So, embrace the tick… tock of the clock, for in its timeless rhythm, you will discover the extraordinary symphony of God’s perfect timing.