God’s Timetable

Many times God’s timetable is much different and usually takes longer than you would expect. It is not at all what you imagined. But, praise the Lord that it is much better in the long run. Harder than you wanted but better. Instead of ushering you into the goodness of His plan when you wanted, He causes you to trudge through the dark valley of tests and trials by faith first. I guarantee you it is not easy, but it is necessary.

God’s methods are different than you would expect. His testing period is harder and longer than you wanted. But you must know that the Lord’s timetable is all for your good, advantage, and His glorious plan. He is with you wherever He leads you, even when you do not feel His presence. It is His promise to all He calls.

No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD. Isaiah 54:17

You must realize why He continually puts you through tests and trials, pressing your soul. It increases your resolve, faith, patience, strength, and more. To complete your training according to His plan for what is ahead. It is His timetable, and it is perfect.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Psalm 23:4-5

His greatest desire is to refine you into His image, to remove those things that are not right. So often, God removes things you didn’t even know were a problem. Just as gold and silver start as a combination of other materials, they are thrown into the fire to refine what is fake and purify what shines with great luster. So God refines us more than seven times so that the face of the master reflects His image so that you may be like Him in heart, mind, soul, and spirit.

And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’ Zechariah 13:9

After all, since Jesus is the King, what king would like to have impatient, unwise, and disobedient subjects who do what they want? No king would tolerate that kind of servant. Instead, God desires subjects that care about loyalty and discipline. That is what you once were, but praise the Lord; you are no longer if He has put you through His fires of affliction.

But He knows the way that I take; when He has tried me, I shall come out as gold. My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and have not turned aside. Job 23:10-11

There is a great purpose to His timetable. There are many things He must teach you. Things your heart may have known but did not fully comprehend. You may have an idea of the mission and the destination He was sending you. Yet, you could not have realized the full extent and purpose of the journey. The full impact that He desires to make through your life. Two points on a map with a gap of mystery in between, which He knew would be necessary beforehand.

You never know what the true potential and power of His presence could be through you if you had not first gone through the valley of trials and tribulations. It is a requirement to be used by Him and a necessary preparation for what comes next. Look at those who came before, like Moses, David, and Joseph. They all went through a time of preparation.

It is no time to be slack; it is no time to be lazy or a time to escape the pain. But to face it. To take hold of the things, He is doing within your spirit. You are His workmanship, hands, and feet to save souls for His kingdom.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

Do not take any of it lightly; it is the time for battle; this is the time for your spiritual training and growth. Therefore, strengthen yourself, and put on the whole armor of God that you may stand.

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by Him. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves and chastises every son whom He receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? Hebrews 12:5-7

God has commanded that you put on His armor for this purpose. Seek His face and grow closer to Him in all courage, obedience, and faith. Increase in His character, wisdom, insight, integrity, and the power of His Spirit.

Through the trial, it is necessary to wait upon the Lord. But don’t just sit there; prepare yourself, equip yourself with battle readiness. Excellent soldiers of the Lord will prepare themselves through constant practice, prayer, faith, and trust in His timetable. Walk in the power of His Spirit and trust that He knows what He is doing. No matter how dark it gets.

If He says go, then go. If He says stop, then stop. Tune your senses to hear His voice and to see the slightest movement of the guiding hand within your heart. Don’t force your way through closed doors. Don’t break them down because you think that is how you will get there. Don’t go early or stay behind but wait for His signal.

Yes, waiting and enduring are hard things to do. But they come with the best rewards if you allow God to do His work, His way. He will bring you safely to the other side. He will prepare you for the fight ahead. He will refine you to reflect His image, to perfectly and completely accomplish His will, purpose, and plan for your life, according to His perfect timetable.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8