Images by Alyssa Marie Francis
There is an appointed time for everything.
And there is a time for every event under heaven—give birth and a time to die;
plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
kill and a time to heal; tear down and a time to build up.
weep and a time to laugh; mourn and a time to dance.
throw stones and a time to gather stones; embrace and a time to shun embracing.
search and a time to give up as lost; keep and a time to throw away.
tear apart and a time to sew together; be silent and a time to speak.
love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
I challenge you to read this three times in one day- in the morning, noon, and night. Each reading brought a new meaning to my circumstances and that was only in a 24 hour period!
“God has made everything appropriate in its time” Ecclesiastes 3:11
I am guilty of looking for the quick answer for eve-rything. Even in matters of the heart, I will throw open my Bible, find a verse or two on the issue that guide me, and make a decision. Wham, bam,thank you ma’am, no conflict for me — just a prob-lem resolved.
With that method sometimes making things worse, and with the guid- ance of my sweet husband, I feel God has told me that wisdom is gained while God desires and sees our obedience. Obedience is not just doing the right thing one time, but it is following the Holy Spirit with a praying and discerning spirit that allows us to know exactly the right moment and time to follow God’s unique calling to our lives.
He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the begin- ning even to the end. (3:11)
Reflect: How does our timing often differ from God’s timing? Could God make our periods of discernment beautiful? How so?
Act: Before you make a big decision, pray for the obedience to follow God’s will on it.
