God’s Timing vs. Our Timing

How many people have a hard time waiting for something they want. I remember as a kid I had the hardest time in the world waiting for some sort of event. I would get so anxious. I would stay up at night and not be able to sleep.

We measure everything based on time; how long we work, how often we eat, when to go to bed….and so forth. So the idea of time is our livelihood. So when we want something in life its no surprise we want to attach time to its outcome. The correlation between time and events is the only way we process things in our brain.

The reason why solitaire confinement in prisons is cruel and unusual punishment is because the person is unaware how long he has been sitting in there. He is unaware if its day or night, summer or winter, lunch or dinner. The uncertainty of time messes with a humans perception, and created an unbearable environment.

There was a case study done; where students volunteered to sleep in a cell for money for several days. The only difference was, one group had access to time, the other was unaware of what time it was and what day it was. They were asked to sit in a cell for an entire week, and they would receive money at the end of the study.

The students that had access the date and time were acting normal and were able to spend the time leisurely and acted like regular inmates. However, the students that didn’t have access to the time were not responding so well. They started acting anxious and began to act out in ways that were unnatural to their own personalities. The idea of not knowing how long they had already been in there or how much they had left was driving them crazy. They didn’t know when to eat, or when to sleep, they were showing serious cases of irritability, anxiety, high stress levels and anger.

Some students even started to go a little nuts by acting psychologically imbalanced. Several students ended up quitting only after a few short days, just because the inability to know what time it was, was unbearable.

There has even been challenges with solitary confinement in the US-  they found evidence based on allegations that it may have serious psychiatric consequences.

So, there’s no surprise why we as humans are so highly dependent on time. We function on a basis of time.

Does God use time like we do, is he sitting there with a hour glass waiting to send Jesus back to earth?…Is time even a practical method used by God?

God is not confined to time as we are, he is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He omnipotent (all powerful, all knowing, and is able to do anything) regardless of time. He is omnipresent (he is everywhere at the same time- all around us).

Arminianism Suggests that God does not know time. Calvinism suggests that God does know time. So which is true, Arminians often argue the verse of Abraham and suggest that God didn’t know whether Abraham would spare Isaac or not.

“Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me” (Genesis 22:12).

God in this verse says now I know, did God not know before Abraham raised his knife? Well, I think he did. I think he knew all along but allowed it to happen that way Abraham’s faith would increase in Gods purpose. When we question Gods Omnipotence, we question Gods power. We as humans have a hard time battling with the idea of being predestined. We actually hate the idea of not having free-will. We want to be in charge of our own lives.

God knows everything ( for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 1 John 3:20). He knows not only the minutest details of our lives but those of everything around us, for He mentions even knowing when a sparrow falls or when we lose a single hair (Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.Matthew 10:29).

Not only does God know everything that will occur until the end of history itself (remember the former things of old;for I am God, and there is no other;I am God, and there is none like me,declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose. Isaiah 46:9), but He also knows our very thoughts, even before we speak forth.

He knows our hearts from afar; He even saw us in the womb (Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. Psalm 139:4). Solomon expresses this truth perfectly when he says, “For you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind” ( then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind), 1 King 8:39).

So if God knows everything then why do we spend so much time stressing over everything? Well, because we are human and we like to be in control. Our natural state of mind is selfish and is driven by its ego, therefore to accept that God is fully in control of our destiny is hard to swallow. Whats so absurd about a God that Knows everything? In my opinion, nothing. I rather be dependent on an all mighty God, then to trust my own self, or especially my own feelings.

We are so imbalanced as humans what makes us think we can even handle our own destiny if God didn’t intervene? The idea of God being in control and being in charge of my future is Biblical. For we did not chose him, he chose us. We don’t choose to become Christian but the Holy Spirit speaks to our heart, and gives us the gift of repentance through Gods grace. If it were fully up to us, and God didn’t have to tug at our heart we free-willingly wold never choose him, for we are naturally wicked!

Therefore. trust God in all and do not doubt what he has in store for you. For if you live in him he will live in you and will provide everything for your future. For not even a sparrow goes without being unfed why would God not take care of his own creation.

If we fully trusted God and realized he knows our destiny we wouldn’t struggle so much with sin. Once you have been chosen by God you are one of his children therefore you no longer fall under the same judgement, but are gifted with the power of the Holy Spirit which will counsel you and help you live a Godly life. For if it wasn’t for the Spirit it would be impossible for you to make it to heaven.

Back to the topics, I know many of you have prayed about issues in your life. Questions that you are uncertain of, decisions you need to make. Well, if you haven’t received your answer yet, maybe its not the time yet. God answers our prayers based on whether we are ready to receive the answer or not. If he sees that we aren’t ready he will hold off until we are. Do not think just because you haven’t received an answer instantly God doesn’t hear you.

But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me (Micah 7:7)

Don’t let your perception of time cause doubt in your mind, for that may cause the answer to go completely unanswered. We need to be 100% certain that God hears us and will answer us when he feels we are ready, not when we assume we are ready. Also if the timing will cause us to fall God will not put us into this situation. He will not give us more temptation than we can handle. (The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9)

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)