DEVOTION: Is This The Right Time?

Today's devotion is from Jennifer AlLee

Lately, I've done a lot of thinking about God's timing. You're probably familiar with Ecclesiastes 3. It starts out like this:

For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.

(NLT)

Then it goes into a list of things: a time to be born, a time to die; a time to plant, a time to sow; a time to cry, a time to laugh... etc. It's a pretty well-known piece of scripture, even to those who don't consider themselves Christian. (Remember the 60's song by The Byrds?)

It's good to know there's a time and place for everything. It gives life balance. Day always comes after night. Joy always comes after grief. But what about the rest of the chapter? I'd never given it much thought. In fact, I don't know if I'd even read it before I sat down to write this devotion. Here's some more of it:

What do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him. What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.
Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 (NLT)

I had to ponder those words. At first, it sounds like the writer is saying that God's got everything planned out, so what's the use in working hard? Just eat, drink and be merry, because you can't change the outcome anyway.

But at second glance, I think it's talking more about relinquishing control. I think he's saying it's foolish to work so hard on things that aren't part of God's plan. Have you ever put so much time and effort into achieving a goal that you didn't enjoy what was right in front of you? I know I have. When you think about it, it's pretty silly to toil and sweat over something that God never intended you to be involved in.

Here's another example from yours truly: Last week, I was thinking about my writing career, and how I need to continually publicize my books. How am I going to create buzz for my current release, which has been out for almost a year now? How do I drum up excitement for something that's not brand-spankin' new? Out of the blue, two opportunities presented themselves within the next few days. These aren't things I solicited... God brought them to me. Now, that doesn't mean I won't do the work I need to do. But by opening these doors, God showed me that the time is right. Now I have direction.

As women who are surrounded by ministry opportunities, it's even more important for you to be tuned in to God's plan and timing in your life. People may pull at you from all directions, but only God knows which path you belong on. Trust your Father to get you from Point A to Point B to Point C. And enjoy the sights along the way.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer AlLee is an author, former church secretary, and founder of The Pastor's Wife Speaks. You can find out more about her and her writing at http://www.jenniferallee.com/