Trusting God's Perfect Timing in Our Lives

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting God's Perfect Timing

God is the On-Time God, Not the On-My-Time God

God's timing is often different from our own, and this can be challenging to accept. We may wish we could schedule our miracles and answers to prayers, but God's timing is perfect because He is God and we are not. Romans 8:28 reminds us that God works all things for the good of those who love Him, including the timing of His actions. Trusting in His timing requires us to relinquish control and have faith in His greater wisdom. This means acknowledging that our understanding is limited and that God's perspective is infinitely greater. When we trust in His timing, we are also trusting in His character and His promises. [41:15]

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV): "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."

Reflection: Think of a situation where you are waiting for God to act. How can you practice trusting His timing today, even if it means letting go of your own expectations?

Day 2: Growth in the Waiting

God Wants to Do Something in Us Before He Does Something for Us

The waiting period is not wasted time; it is a time of growth and preparation. God uses these moments to develop our character, strengthen our faith, and mature us spiritually. Sometimes, the very thing we are waiting for is not what we need, and the waiting helps us realize that. During these times, God is often working on our hearts, teaching us patience, humility, and dependence on Him. It is in the waiting that we learn to trust God more deeply and to rely on His strength rather than our own. This process of inner transformation is crucial for our spiritual growth and prepares us for the blessings and responsibilities that God has in store for us. [42:19]

James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you feel you are in a period of waiting. How can you see this time as an opportunity for growth and preparation rather than just a delay?

Day 3: Love in the Delay

God's Timing is a Demonstration of His Love

Sometimes, God's delays are a manifestation of His love for us. The story of Lazarus in John 11 shows that Jesus waited to go to Lazarus because He loved him and wanted to give a greater gift—a demonstration that it is never too late for God. This teaches us that God's timing, though often perplexing, is always rooted in His love for us. When we experience delays, it is important to remember that God sees the bigger picture and knows what is best for us. His timing is not just about when things happen, but also about how they happen in a way that ultimately brings us closer to Him and reveals His glory. [45:01]

2 Peter 3:9 (ESV): "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt God was delaying an answer to your prayer. How can you see His love and greater purpose in that delay now?

Day 4: Active Waiting

Keep Watching, Waiting, Hoping, and Praying

In the "not yet" space, we must stand guard against doubt and discouragement, wait patiently and courageously, place our trust and confidence in God, and align ourselves with His will through prayer. These actions help us stay focused and faithful while we wait for God to show up. Watching means being vigilant and guarding our hearts against negativity. Waiting involves patience and courage, trusting that God is at work even when we cannot see it. Hoping is about placing our confidence in God's promises, and praying aligns our hearts with His will, preparing us to receive His blessings. [46:33]

Psalm 27:14 (ESV): "Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!"

Reflection: What practical steps can you take today to actively watch, wait, hope, and pray in a situation where you are seeking God's intervention?

Day 5: Remembering God's Faithfulness

Testimonies of God's Faithfulness

The Bible is filled with stories of God showing up right on time, from Sarah and Abraham to Paul and Silas. These testimonies, along with our personal experiences, serve as powerful reminders that God is always faithful. Even when we haven't seen Him show up yet, we can trust that He will because He has never failed to be the on-time God. Reflecting on these stories and our own experiences helps to build our faith and encourages us to trust in God's faithfulness. It is important to remember and recount these testimonies, as they serve as evidence of God's unchanging nature and His commitment to His promises. [57:22]

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV): "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Reflection: Take a moment to write down a testimony of God's faithfulness in your life. How can this testimony encourage you and others to trust in God's timing and faithfulness?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

In this third week of our series "More Than a Song," we delve into the theology behind the worship song "On Time God" by Woman Evolve Worship, Abby Gamboa, and Chandler Moore. This song serves as a powerful reminder that God always shows up at the perfect time, even when it feels like He is cutting it close. My wife and I have been clinging to this song during a particularly challenging season, finding solace in its message that God loves the impossible and is never too late.

The song's verses reflect personal testimonies of God's faithfulness. The first verse speaks to moments when we felt too far gone, yet God showed up. The second verse highlights how, in hindsight, we can see God's hand at work even in our darkest times. The third verse acknowledges that storms will always come because we live in a broken world, but it is precisely in these storms that we need to remember God's faithfulness.

We live in the "in-between"—between the perfection of Eden and the future perfection promised in Revelation. This in-between is fraught with challenges, but it is also where we most need to rely on God. Even when it feels like the devil has won, God shows up and changes the narrative. This truth is confirmed by the testimonies of Scripture, the songwriters, and many of us here today.

However, there is often a disconnect between what we know to be true and what we feel in our experiences. In these moments, we must remember three key lessons: God is the on-time God, not the on-my-time God; He often wants to do something in us before He does something for us; and His timing is a demonstration of His love. The story of Lazarus in John 11 exemplifies these lessons, showing that God's delays are often for our good and His glory.

In the "not yet" space, we are called to keep watching, waiting, hoping, and praying. Watching means standing guard against doubt and discouragement. Waiting should be done patiently and courageously. Hoping involves placing our trust and confidence in God. Praying aligns us with God's will and prepares us to receive from Him.

As we close, let's remember that God is holding tomorrow in His hands. Our stories are not finished yet, and even when we haven't seen Him show up, we know He will because He is the on-time God.

###

Key Takeaways

1. Time God, Not the On-My-Time God**: We often wish we could schedule our miracles, but God's timing is perfect because He is God and we are not. Romans 8:28 reminds us that God works all things for the good of those who love Him, including the timing of His actions. Trusting in His timing requires us to relinquish control and have faith in His greater wisdom. [41:15]
2. God Wants to Do Something in Us Before He Does Something for Us: The waiting period is not wasted time; it is a time of growth and preparation. God uses these moments to develop our character, strengthen our faith, and mature us spiritually. Sometimes, the very thing we are waiting for is not what we need, and the waiting helps us realize that.

3. God's Timing is a Demonstration of His Love: Sometimes, God's delays are a manifestation of His love for us. The story of Lazarus in John 11 shows that Jesus waited to go to Lazarus because He loved him and wanted to give a greater gift—a demonstration that it is never too late for God. This teaches us that God's timing, though often perplexing, is always rooted in His love for us.

4. Keep Watching, Waiting, Hoping, and Praying: In the "not yet" space, we must stand guard against doubt and discouragement, wait patiently and courageously, place our trust and confidence in God, and align ourselves with His will through prayer. These actions help us stay focused and faithful while we wait for God to show up.

5. Testimonies of God's Faithfulness: The Bible is filled with stories of God showing up right on time, from Sarah and Abraham to Paul and Silas. These testimonies, along with our personal experiences, serve as powerful reminders that God is always faithful. Even when we haven't seen Him show up yet, we can trust that He will because He has never failed to be the on-time God.

### [41:15]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[30:02] - Introduction to "On Time God"
[31:05] - Personal Testimony and Need for the Song
[32:42] - Lyrics Breakdown: Chorus
[33:17] - God's Track Record of Miracles
[33:54] - Verse 1: Testimony of God's Faithfulness
[34:23] - Verse 2: Hindsight and God's Faithfulness
[35:11] - Verse 3: Living in the In-Between
[36:35] - The Devil's Defeat and God's Victory
[38:01] - The Elephant in the Room: Feeling Like God is Late
[40:45] - Lesson 1: On-Time God, Not On-My-Time God
[42:19] - Lesson 2: God Works in Us Before He Works for Us
[43:20] - Lesson 3: God's Timing as a Demonstration of Love
[46:33] - Keep Watching, Waiting, Hoping, and Praying
[57:22] - Testimonies of God's Faithfulness
[65:08] - Declaration of Faith and Worship

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to Romans 8:28, what does God work for in all things, and for whom does He work this good?
In John 11:1-6, why did Jesus delay going to Lazarus even though He loved him? [45:01]
What promise is given to those who hope in the Lord in Isaiah 40:31?

Interpretation Questions

How does Romans 8:28 help us understand the concept of God's perfect timing, even when it doesn't align with our own? [41:15]
What can we learn from Jesus' delay in going to Lazarus about how God's timing can be a demonstration of His love? [45:01]
How does the promise in Isaiah 40:31 encourage us to keep hoping and trusting in God during difficult times? [53:33]

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you felt God was late in answering your prayers. How did you handle the waiting period, and what did you learn from it? [38:27]
The sermon mentioned that God often wants to do something in us before He does something for us. Can you identify a situation in your life where this was true? How did the waiting period help you grow? [42:19]
How can you practically "keep watching, waiting, hoping, and praying" in your current season of life? What specific steps can you take to guard against doubt and discouragement? [46:33]
The story of Lazarus shows that God's delays are often for our good and His glory. How can you remind yourself of this truth when you are in a season of waiting? [45:01]
Think of a personal testimony of God's faithfulness in your life. How can sharing this testimony with others encourage them to trust in God's perfect timing? [57:22]
How can you cultivate a habit of placing your trust and confidence in God daily, especially when facing challenges? What specific actions can you take to renew your strength in the Lord? [53:33]
The sermon emphasized the importance of prayer in aligning ourselves with God's will. How can you make prayer a more consistent and intentional part of your daily routine? [54:23]

Sermon Clips

1. "And so Sol and I We've been singing this It really has a reminder That even when we feel Like God is cutting it really close The chorus still remains true And so we've been singing it Over and over again The chorus says On Time God You love the impossible On Time God You love doing miracles You're never too late You never give up Nothing's too far gone For the On Time God And I don't know about you But I need that reminder Because whenever he shows up Guess what It was the perfect time For him to show up." [32:42] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Because he can do The impossible Which means for God There's no such thing As being late Because he can do miracles Right When he shows up Miracles happen Giants fall Walls crumble The sun stands still Armies flee The blind eyes are open The dead are raised back to life Like God has An incredible track record As Katie was saying That he is The On Time God And I don't have A Bible verse Telling me He's the On Time God I have 66 books Called the B-I-B-L-E That tell me He is the On Time God." [33:02] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "And in those moments I was like God where are you And now looking back I'm like Oh that's where you were Right Because literally In the greatest Disappointment And discouragement Of my life I can look back On that moment today And say thank you Jesus Thank you Because I see What you were doing In it And through it What you were doing In me And for me I am grateful For what I once thought Was a disappointment Because of the Faithfulness Of God." [34:38] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "So it was perfect In the beginning It's going to be perfect In the end But right now We live in between And so because of sin The world is broken And because the world Is broken Storms will always come And it's actually In the storms That we need to be Singing the song Because it's during the storm That you need the reminder That God shows up When life is great You don't really need God to show up so much It's in the storms You need him." [36:01] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "And even if you don't think You have that testimony Every single one of us do Because 2,000 years ago Jesus died on the cross The devil thought he won He was taking his victory lap Not even realizing It was all part of God's plan And I know I'm kind of weird sometimes But like I wish I could see The look on the devil's face When Jesus walked out of the tomb Like that's gotta be priceless Like that would just give me So much joy To be able to see The look on his face Because he's the on time God." [36:49] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "And so the question for us is What do we do? What do we do when there's a disconnect Between what we know to be true And what we feel in our experiences? It's kind of like when the man came to Jesus And said, I believe Help my unbelief He's saying, I know it doesn't feel need some help And honestly, that's where Sol and I We've been for several months now And so we put this song on repeat Really just to build our faith Because we've been looking at you And we're looking at each other going I know God can do it But it's getting harder and harder Because can he though?" [39:47] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "The first is that he's the on-time God Not the on-my-time God And I really wish he was the on-my-time God Because how many of you would like To schedule your miracles? Like just be like, you know what? Sunday at, you know, 1142 Would be a great time for God To do that thing I need him to do But he's in charge of the timetable Not us You know why? Because he's God And we're not And he's good at being God And he's a good God So let him cook Like if I could just If I could just recognize That he knows a whole lot more than I do Can I just trust him to be God?" [41:15] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "And the waiting is for my good Because the second thing that I'm learning Is that God wants to do something in us Before he does something for us And the waiting is actually It's doing something in me It's developing me It's strengthening me It's creating a discipline in me It's creating a patience in me It's growing faith in me And sometimes I've learned That the thing that I want to do is The thing that I want the most I'm not ready for And so the waiting is preparing me for it I've also recognized that sometimes The thing I want most is not what's best for me And the waiting is maturing me." [42:19] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "And so while we're waiting We complain We question everything We get frustrated We just We wait miserably And You know why? Because waiting is where faith becomes necessary You don't need faith If you're not waiting for something But when you're in a place Where you have to wait That's where you need faith And your faith is actually built In those moments Faith isn't built when life is great Faith is built when life has fallen apart And so we're waiting On God Patiently and courageously." [49:35] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "And so I'm determined that every morning I'm putting my hope in Jesus That the harder it gets in the waiting The more I'm just waking up every day Saying Jesus My hope is in you I am declaring With faith With a confidence With an expectation That God you are going to do What you promised to do And I'm waiting on you And as I'm waiting The longer I wait It's okay Because I'm not getting weary in the waiting I'm not getting faint in the waiting Because my strength is being renewed Because my waiting is on the Lord." [54:02] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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