Faith in His Timing

About a year ago I was working as a camp counselor in Green Lake, WI, just as I am this summer.  During our last week of camp the lady counselors decided one evening to go into the girls dorm and spend some time doing devotions with them that evening.  We sat around, counselors, campers and parent chaperones.  I read an excerpt from an online blog and we shared some scripture.  The conversation eventually drifted to boys and dating - which is what a lot of us are curious about in our middle school and high school years (and on through our college years as well).

Several people shared, and then one of the chaperones said something that completely blew me away.  She got very serious and said "Ladies: pray for your man.  Most likely, he is not the person that God has intended him to be for you yet."

I loved that statement, because I had never thought about that.  I trust God, and know that He has a plan for me.  Someone in mind for me to spend my life with.  Someone He created in His image to share a life with me specifically.  Sometimes I get so curious and I start hunting.  I think, I could meet him at any moment.  Any boy I pass by could be "the one."

But this statement opened my eyes.  What if either of us is not ready.  What if God knows that we need to be changed and transformed in certain ways before we are ready to live a life together, or even meet one another.

This was not only a calling to pray diligently for your future spouse, this was a call to be patient with God and to trust in His timing - in all things.  In his book I Kissed Dating Goodbye, Josh Harris says "the right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing."

God works outside of time, which is incredible and hard to grasp.  God is writing our stories in the perfect order and perfect detail.  He has scheduled the date of our arrival for every event in life.  He wants to prepare us.  He wants to take the time to strengthen our hearts for what lies ahead.

God will _________.  You can fill in the blank!  He knows the right time, and He will prepare you leading up to that time.

~SP