God's Timing

I recently got good news.  The doctor says that my tumor has shrunk by at least 50% after just two chemo treatments.  I was ecstatic.  At the same time my doctor let me know that his other patient who is on the same drug has experienced a 70% reduction.  For just a split second I thought, “now why can’t I have 70%?” I quickly caught myself, knowing that was something akin to a $100,000 lottery patient wondering why they couldn’t have won $200,000.  Still ,I find myself getting impatient with my healing.  I know that it is all in God’s timing, though, so I am trying to trust in that—trust in Him.

God’s timing is perfect and I know that, still waiting is difficult to say the least.  I am sure that Joseph felt like that.  Here he was sold into slavery and yet he had prospered in Potiphar’s service.  Yet because of his integrity in not sleeping with Potiphar’s wife, he found himself in prison.  When he successfully interpreted the bakers and the cupbearer’s dreams he may have thought that this was his way out.  He had told the cupbearer to “remember me” when he was reinstated to his position with pharaoh.

The cupbearer didn’t remember him, however.  He was in jail another three years.  How long those three years would have seemed.  I think about that because I’ve had cancer for a little over three years now.  It is all about perspective however.  Three years in watching my children seems to go too fast.  Three years in studying for my Master’s seemed just long enough.  It depends what you are doing, what you are focusing on, what you are feeling.  Joseph must have kept his eyes on God.  He focused on his job as a leader in jail. He bloomed where he was planted.

I heard a fitting analogy.  We are not supposed to do anything while we are driving, but we all have done it—put on makeup, eaten a snack, put on jewelry, written a text.  We wait for a light and furiously try to accomplish as much as possible while the light is red.  Sometimes you laugh because you don’t seem to catch any of the lights. Your trip seems to fly by and maybe you don’t get done what you need to get done.  On the other hand, we all have been late for something and seem to catch every light and each light seem to be so long!  It is simply a matter of focus and perspective.  When you have a clear focus, the waiting doesn’t seem to be a difficult.

Waiting is never easy, but we need to trust God’s timing.  If the cupbearer had mentioned Joseph right away, Pharaoh would have forgotten about it since he had no need.   But three years later, when Pharaoh needed someone to interpret his dream, he called Joseph out of prison right away.  Joseph saved his whole family—in God’s timing. 

Trust in God’s timing.  Focus on Him and on doing his will in whatever your circumstance. Waiting is never easy, but it can be purposeful.  It can accomplish your maturity and God’s plans.  Bloom while you are waiting.

Isaiah 40:31
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.