Devotional | Reflections in Ecclesiastes: Learning to Trust God’s Timing

I know that, whatever God doeth, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it. Ecclesiastes 3:14

When the choice lies between God’s timing and our own, how often do we succumb to our own desires? If we were to live entirely according to God’s timing and plans, we would save ourselves from misdirection, pride, jealousy, and a host of other misunderstandings. In the Bible, King David and the apostle Paul learned how to be content (Psalm 37 and Hebrews 13:5, respectively). As they navigated the seasons of their lives, they realized that God’s ways are not onerous. In contrast, by acting in my own wisdom, I often sacrifice God’s blessings of peace and contentment instead of living according to God’s timing. And the Enemy knows how to tailor temptations specifically to my desires. For example, how many times do I thumb aimlessly past one social media picture after another, simultaneously fascinated and envious, doubting God’s timing in my life?

The Problem with Comparing Timelines

When a friend of mine visited India, she shared pictures. She documented every aspect of her trip on social media, from the moment her plane landed in New Delhi to subsequent pictures of her riding in a tuk-tuk, eating delectable curries and rice, and visiting national landmarks. She answered questions posted by her friends online and commented on her experiences. We learned about India through her eyes. However, if I’m honest, that agitation in my chest was a pang of jealousy. When she visited the Taj Mahal, I wished it were me. Unattractive questions filled my mind. What circumstances afforded her the opportunity to fly halfway across the world and smile back at the rest of us from that exotic location? How might I have been inspired if I were able to visit such an intriguing, wonderful place? My argument seemed plausible to me, which is the trap of comparison.

Another friend recently released her second book. It’s the kind of book the world needs written in a way that speaks to each reader on a personal level. I celebrated her achievement. Again, I felt ensnared by questions that exposed my sense of lack. When I prayed, my focus shifted. I wondered what God has in store for my writing journey which has experienced its own plot twists and even red herrings. Be content, I felt the Spirit tell me. Don’t compare her timeline to yours.

What should we do with dissatisfaction?

You may have felt the tug of comparison or dissatisfaction in your heart and struggled with the dissatisfaction it leaves there. Maybe you’ve thought, if God has blessed you with many exciting and fulfilling experiences, how could you feel a void?

In times of self-reflection, we must keep our eyes on God and our hearts open to his timing so that we don’t fall into the trap of jealousy. When we take our eyes off God and gaze at others’ achievements, we will always come up short. Our relationship with God will suffer. We won’t feel content. We might be tempted to think God’s timing is “off”.

It’s interesting that, when we allow our focus to shift away from God, we only see what we don’t have. In a way, we are blaming God for not doing his job as we see it. We don’t see the times He told us what to do, yet we procrastinated, made excuses, or refused to obey. Nor do we know how the other person allowed God to use them. We don’t see the sacrifices of time to achieve the goal, the time spent in fasting and prayer, or the surrender of personal preferences in favor of God’s wisdom. What we see is the result of God’s timing in their lives.

Letting Go and God’s Perfect Timing

It’s tempting to want to force seasons along to suit the timing we desire. As I thumbed through my friend’s social media posts, I remembered the words of Ecclesiastes 3. My attitude shifted when I confessed my negative thoughts to God. To everything there is a season. The weight of dissatisfaction lifted through God’s forgiveness and love.

Let’s take a moment to meditate on the wisdom of Solomon, written in Ecclesiastes 3.
⁃ vs 11 – He has made everything beautiful in His time. If we try to force our way ahead of God’s divine will and timing, we will make a mess of things. Furthermore, only God knows the beginning from the end, and trying to manipulate the future is counterproductive.
⁃ vs 13 – That every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God. God rewards our work, so let us work for His glory and pleasure. The season of holy action can be as fulfilling as the season of reaping.
⁃ vs 14 – I know that, whatever God doeth, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it.” Why would we settle for a season when God provides a legacy? Whatever God does is everlasting and complete.

When we trust God’s timing instead of depending our own, we find peace and contentment in every season of life. Comparison and envy lose their power when we focus on God’s unique plan for us. May we embrace each moment, knowing that God makes everything beautiful in His time.