Since he is a wise businessman himself, my husband almost never calls me when I’m at a conference. He knows how hectic business travel can be. But on a recent trip, he had asked me to call him when I reached the venue. Excited and pulled into a meeting immediately upon my arrival, I forgot to call. So right in the middle of a later worship service, my phone summoned me. Hubby’s special ring tone for me? “What’s New Pussycat?” Um, hardly a good match for the reverent mood.
I’m always glad to hear Hubby’s ring tone, no matter what the time. But after the phone rang, I couldn’t help but think of God’s timing and how perfect it always is, regardless of our own forgetfulness, laziness, circumstances, or mood. I forgot to call my husband even though he is never far from my mind. But God never forgets us, even when our prayer lives seem lacking or lethargic.
God’s timing is perfect, even when His answer is, “No,” or “Wait,” in spite of our passionately pestering Him every hour.
I can’t recall how many times writers have told me, “The publication of this book shows God’s perfect timing.”
My prayer is that you will see God’s perfect timing for yourself.
Your turn:
When have you seen God’s perfect timing?
How do you bide the time when waiting for God’s answer?
Just for fun:
What are your special ring tones?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga3I5DTIA-E
I’ve learned a lot about this lesson lately. I know enough of God that I would prefer to wait on his timing rather than force my own timing onto a situation. Of course, it’s often difficult to wait, but I’ve discovered that he will keep me busy growing, learning, and loving during my times of waiting.
Hello Tamela.
Lately, Biding my time is all that’s going on with my writing. I recently made the mistake of “waiting” for a special sign from GOD to continue with my manuscripts. Needless to say, my productivity within the last two weeks have been mediocre at best. After prayers and seeking GOD in his word, I’ve acquired a new motivation for continuing my work. Thanks again for the post. Bless you and everyone at the Steve Laube agency.
Such a good post, Tamela. And now I’m humming my husband’s current ringtone: “Til My Last Day,” which is a very upbeat country love song by Justin Moore. And to be honest, whenever I hear “What’s New, Pussycat?” I see Steve Martin trying on that too-small tux in Father of the Bride.
Fun post, Tamela. 🙂 Fun ring tone too!
God has shown me His perfect timing in a number of situations in my life. The most life impacting one was probably in His timing for allowing me to become a mom. The ways He brought it about, and the timing could only have been written by Him.
God has been teaching me a lot about His timing—from how long it takes me to write a book to the point where it’s ready to query, how long until I might reach publication. This journey I’m walking is in His hands, and I’m at peace with that. For now. 😉
Tamela, this is perfect timing for me! Been bitten by anxious bugs lately. I need to remember Who is in control of all this!
I must say God’s perfect timing was revealed the week I got offered representation by a great agent.;) Everything seemed to line up and I knew my dream might become reality. I must remember that God isn’t a waiting on me to get everything perfect– prayer life, writing life, life! He has His own timing and I mustn’t sit here and tell myself that “if only I did this…”. He is so much bigger than what I can do!
Have a blessed day!!
That’s too funny. I can imagine that song going off in the middle of a worship service. I have seen God’s timing over and over in my life. In fact I wrote an article about one of those times called “God’s Timing is Perfect.” Here’s the link in case you’d like to read it. http://deborahhbateman.com/articles-written-by-the-author/gods-timing-is-perfect/
Blessings,
Deborah H. Bateman
My ringtone for my husband is Just Remember I Love You by Firefall. But now I want to change it to still My Last Day like Beth!
Great Post Tamela! I echo everyone else basically in agreeing that I desperately want Gods timing. However, I think I’ve come to see it differently as He’s taken me through this journey. For awhile, I was anxious and impatient as I set my expectations of his timing on external circumstances, always thinking I knew when it would be best. As situations came and went, I began to see the journey changing me in ways I never expected.
Now I see that the times I wanted it most, I was the least prepared for it to happen. I am still unsure and so I wait and watch and obey. I rest in the knowledge that He has my back. No matter when, or if, things happen the way I’d like, I know God is orchestrating what’s best for me because He loves me and knows what I need.
Wow! I wouldn’t know where to start with that one! There have been many, many occasions where God’s preventative measures or “yellow signals” (as I like to call them) have all been for one perfect plan. How many times have we been late to work or school only to find out there was an accident on the road at the time I would’ve been rolling through? Or what about jobs?
My husband turned down an offer on a job once because we just didn’t have peace about it, although it was a strong offer that was hard to turn away from. A few months later we found insurance benefits would have skyrocketed for our family on the next fiscal year and we would have been worse off than what we already had–my conclusion, it was all in God’s perfect timing. 🙂
Thanks for this encouraging post, Tamela!
For me..it is easier to trust God’s timing when I have first trusted Him with the results. Sometimes I get anxious about God not being on my time frame for what I think should happen and then I realize ..I am the problem. I am expecting God to get my memo and get on board with my plans. It is when I totally relinquish everything into God’s hands that I can trust Him for perfect timing, knowing He sees the end and works for my benefit. When that happens… God’s timing always delights and often amazes me.
Thanks for the fun post. Your timing of it was impeccable.
Marci, your first line nailed it! Yes, trust the Lord that His end results are in our best interest even though we can’t see them while we’re waiting.
The short version of how I’ve seen God’s timing is healing in my marriage, new jobs, forgiveness with friends, buying my home, having my kids, learning how much more important it is to take the time to learn how to write a GREAT story.
Seeing how perfect those results were, I have strong faith for the timing of things to come. Waiting is preparing. I get excited now while waiting to see what the Lord prepares 🙂
JD, I love what you said: “Waiting is preparing” Great perspective! Waiting doesn’t have to be passive, does it? 🙂
Great post, Tamela! God has taught me many times the importance of trusting His timing.
The most recent was when I suffered a terribly painful ankle injury the day before Thanksgiving that landed me on crutches and in a boot, followed by nearly three months of physical therapy. Not fun. Because of the ankle injury, we missed out on a highly-anticipated planned trip our family was to have taken not long after the injury.
Today my ankle is 85-90% better and I am praising God for His healing.
Through this,I learned once again that everything is in His timing, including the healing of injuries. Once I started truly trusting Him about my ankle, I was able to see that while I preferred my ankle heal in a much shorter length of time, this too, was in God’s timing. (Maybe He was working on my patience as well, lol!)
I’m thankful God sees the big picture and that no matter what we go through, He is there to walk alongside of us.
It seems God calls about two days after I’ve decided something isn’t working. I’ll be on the internet searching out work at home jobs and bam…I get a call to write.
My first ring tone was set by my husband–paperback writer. 🙂 It went off at Mt. Herman when he called. I was shocked and thrilled that he believed in me enough to set my ring tone to that song.
Not writing-related, but a definite gift:
When I was 18, my dad died. I never thought that I’d be sentimental about family names–it always felt lazy to me, and presumptuous, like I was stuffing a brand new person into someone else’s skin. But boy names are HARD. When the ultrasound tech told me I would have a son, I knew right away I’d name him Patrick, after my dad. I sold my Authurian-obsessed husband on the plan by pointing out that the name meant “nobleman.” 😉
Fast forward five months, and I am a week overdue, it is June, I am properly hot and hormonal. I garage sale all day, eat spicy food, weed garden beds, brush my teeth, and it’s midnight: my water breaks. Our little guy is born the next evening.
Which happens to be my hubby/my sixth anniversary.
By luck, that year, it was also Father’s day.
Being a week late, my munchkin’s grand arrival was a huge wink from heaven.
RING TONE: I have none! I am a phone-on-vibrate girl who misses way too many calls!
Fun ring-tone story:
A technician was in my office working on the air-conditioning, in the other room.
I heard the strangest sound of a shrill voice proclaiming, “Blah-de-blah-de-blah-blah-blah.”
And again:
“Blah-de-blah-de-blah-blah-blah.”
The sound cut out in mid sentence with a “Hello?” And the worker was on his phone chatting away.
After he hung up I asked, “Was that weird sounding ‘blah blah blah’ your ringtone?”
He sheepishly admitted that yes it was. And it was the special ringtone for when his wife was calling him.
I laughed and asked, “Does she know that this is her ring tone?”
“Oh no,” he replied. “She has no idea. And I hope she never finds out.”
That is a man who lives on the edge.
Laughing out loud. 🙂 He has no idea how CLOSE to the edge he’s living! 😉
Oh, man, I hope his wife never ever finds out. Thanks for the giggle.
Jeanne, yes, waiting can totally be proactive! It sounds ironic though, but faith is a practiced act as well. It’s about exercising spiritual disciplines 🙂 Cheers to the preparing!
A friend taught me a great lesson. When I’m waiting on God’s timing, his answer to a specific prayer, and I’m not sure what to do, he told me to do “the next best thing.” Often, that is to continue to do exactly what I’m doing while I wait. “While I’m Waiting” by John Waller is an excellent song and encouragement for these times.