I’ve been thinking about time lately. It can feel fast and slow. It doesn’t feel like I’ve been married almost a decade. One moment it feels short, but then at the same time it’s hard to remember life without Brian. Friends of mine having babies have asked me questions and it’s hard to remember what it was like having my babies even though it was just 4 years ago. As children grow up, the saying seems true, “Time flies!” Seasons in the past that have felt long and hard in the moment have now become a vague memory. Time and time again, when I look back, I see God working and proving Himself faithful.
I like things to be efficient and effective with as little time wasted as possible. Don’t we all? Who likes sitting in traffic? How often do we want our kids to load up the car faster? Don’t we desire those around us to be more efficient, like at the store checkout line or the post office? Why does the adoption process take so long? Will this season of sickness ever end? Why doesn’t God repair a relationship sooner rather than later?
Yet, I am struck with how my timing isn’t God’s timing. He is above all time. God seems to be less concerned about efficiency and cares more about my sanctity. His timing feels slow and inefficient. I think about Noah and the years it must have taken to build the ark. He had to trust God during that entire time. And he was 600 years old when the flood happened. He had to then trust God on this ark for a year while the flood ravaged the world.
A mentor friend and I are doing a study called Now and Not Yet, by Ruth Chou Simons. We’ve been studying the life of Abraham and Joseph. I’ve seen this theme of God’s time isn’t wasted through both of these men. God promised Abraham he would be a father of nations when he was 75 years old. But then how long did it take for that promise to be fulfilled? 25 years! No wonder he thought he might have misunderstood God, listened to his wife Sarah, and had a son through Hagar. Then after he had his promised son, Isaac, God asked him to sacrifice him. And Abraham trusted God and it was counted to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). That moment, when God provided a ram to sacrifice instead of his promised son, Isaac, became a beautiful picture of God’s promised Son, Jesus, the perfect Lamb for us. The timing of God’s promises is never wasted.
Joseph became second in command to Pharaoh at the age of 30. It’s crazy to think about all that had happened in his life up until that point. What covers only a few chapters in Genesis actually spans years of Joseph’s life. He was hated by his brothers, sold into slavery, served in Potiphar’s house, falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, thrown into prison, interpreted dreams for a cup bearer, forgotten by the cupbearer for 2 whole years, until brought before Pharaoh to interpret his dreams, then put in a position to save nations. What a life, all before 30 years old! Each place God put him, he stewarded his time. He became the best he could be and those around him noticed. I love Genesis 39:21, “But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor.” God authored these stories that point to Jesus. Jesus was hated by man, yet humbly served, was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, falsely accused, ultimately died for the sins of the world, and saves all who trust in Him. What a story of God’s hand moving and working and not a minute was wasted.
I don’t want to waste time. I think living our lives to the fullest for the glory of God is a good thing. I want to share the Gospel with those that need Jesus! James 4:14 says, “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” But what I’m realizing is that what I might think is a waste of time, isn’t to God. Abiding in Him is the best use of time. Taking the time to pray isn’t a waste; it’s vital. Discipling our children each day isn’t a waste; it’s steadfastness. Doing the mundane tasks like laundry and dishes isn’t a waste; it’s faithfulness. Loving our spouses isn’t a waste; it’s humility. Caring for a friend isn’t a waste; it’s community. Being still isn’t a waste; it’s holy.
The Fruit of the Spirit isn’t accomplishing the to-do list, keeping busy, working things out in our own strength, and controlling the situations around us. No, the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 6:22-23). God takes the time to prune and develop this fruit in us by His Spirit.
So as I think about time, I turn to the well known passage titled, “A Time for Everything,” in Ecclesiastes 3, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.”
God’s time isn’t wasted. He’s moving and working, even if we don’t see it.