All In God’s Timing

What we want when we want it may not be what God wants, or it may be what he wants for us just not in our time frame but His. About 14 years ago, I was climbing the corporate ladder in retail sales. The store called it the “fast-track” program and it was fast. I ran like crazy 80 hours a week trying to please men in suits. At the same time, I was also preparing to be a first-time mom. I had waited almost seven years. My husband and I married then attended college. We now had a house, good jobs and were ready to start a family.

Well, God thought so too, so we conceived our first child about a month before I was placed into the fast-track program. It didn't really matter much. We had made plans for my husband to be a stay-at-home dad and I would continue my career. However, in the program, there is always a chance that the company will transfer you. I did not want to have a baby I had waited for so long only to be transferred and separated from it for days, weeks or months. So, to prepare for possible transfer, we put our house up for sale. If we didn't have a house tying us down, wherever I went, my husband and baby could go to. 

That was an interesting time in life. Believe it or not, we had three contracts come and fall through on that house. What was the deal? Why wasn't this house selling according to my plans and my timeline? To make a long story short, after the baby was born, the store told me they were sending me to another city to open a new store, but my husband and child could not go with me, even if I paid their way. I refused to go.

Fast forward a year later, a dream job opened up. The house sold immediately and we all started a new life together without the fast-track program, the 80-hour work weeks and the power suits. It was great! The point here is our timing is not always God's timing. God sees everything. He knows all, and He knew that a job change and a better life was in my future even when I couldn't see past my day to day.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”–Proverbs 3:4-5 (NIV)

God had plans for me. He knew what I wanted. He never said no. He just said, “Not yet. Wait. I have something better planned.” All in God's timing.