We should also feel blessed by God’s timing.  I realize it is God’s timing that most often trips us up on our journey, since it is easier to accept a plan if it unfolds as expected.  But in our better moments, we know trust involves God’s “when” as well as His “what.”

Recently I had a great conversation with a dear Christian sister who had suddenly lost her husband of fifty-nine years.  She shared an experience from a trip to a research hospital that went badly.  Due to a scheduling conflict, her husband, who had already been prepped for surgery, was told his surgery was cancelled.  The news was unwelcome, but this faithful couple made the long trip home, trusting God for the outcome.  Soon after returning they received a phone call from a doctor they had met on an earlier visit who apologized for their experience.  He scheduled the husband for surgery immediately.  When they arrived at the hospital the doctor apologized again and the wife said, “We asked God to send us to the best hospital and give us the best doctor, and we are convinced that is what He did.  There is no reason to apologize.” That’s faith in God’s timing!

Obviously, God doesn’t always choose to intervene in the bad choices humans make, and sometimes poor timing leads to costly outcomes.  However, good timing leads to positive outcomes, and if we are going to cry out to God when the timing is wrong, we must remember to praise Him when it is right.  It is difficult for us to know when His providence has moved, but when our schedule is interrupted by unforeseen events and things turn out for the best, we should consider the fact our circumstances are no accident.  Timing is everything, and God’s timing is a blessed thing.