I was at the end of training for my career when I felt the urgency to move forward in pursuing a relationship with the hope of getting married. To be honest, at that point in my life, the timing seemed late to me.
But not to God.
This season brought moments of discouragement, tears, and questions. When I was at the end of my options, I finally did what I should have done from the start.
I prayed.
In fact, one particular Friday night, I was invited to a prayer meeting. I decided that I would focus my prayer to God on this one request. God already knew my need and my heart. I talked to God specifically about my desire for the right husband.
That night, after the prayer meeting, there was a voicemail that my mother had left on my phone. She said that there was someone she wanted me to meet.
This “someone” turned out to be the man who is my husband today.
Yes, God’s timing is better than ours.
Ruth was another woman who found her husband in “God’s timing”.
Tragically, Ruth’s first husband died during a famine. She decides to follow her mother-in-law back to Bethlehem as the barley harvest is beginning (Ruth 1:22).
Notice the timing: “…as the barley harvest is beginning”. Why not BEFORE the harvest or AFTER the harvest?
Let’s look at the sequence of events:
- Since the harvest was beginning (God’s timing), there was a need for harvesters. Ruth decides to pick up grain during this harvest.
- Ruth 2:3 says, “As it turned out, she found herself… in a field belonging to Boaz…” (who was from the same clan as her father-in-law). “As it turned out” (God’s plan)
- Ruth 2:4 says, “Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem…” and notices Ruth. (God’s timing)
- The end of the love story: Boaz takes Ruth as his wife. As we know, Ruth becomes the great-grandmother of King David and is part of the genealogy of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Why go through the tears, disappointment, and questions…and still say it’s God’s timing?
Because God wants us to fall on our knees and acknowledge that without His grace, it would not have happened.
That’s my testimony. God gets all the glory for anything and everything that happens in my life.
In what area of your life does time seem to drag its feet? A relationship, a job, a raise?
God knows what you need, but he is just waiting on you to fall on your knees.
It may not happen the way you imagine, but if it’s in God’s timing, then you can’t be in a better place at a better time.
-Betsy
