There is a Time and a Way for Everything

In Ecclesiastes 8:6, we’re told, “For there is a time and a way for everything, even when a person is in trouble.” The problem is that often times we want things to be in our time and in our way. But one thing I’ve learned as a follower of Jesus is that God’s timing is always right.

Thanks to free plane tickets and someone letting us use their timeshare, we were blessed this summer to go to Hawaii for vacation. And since it was Hawaii, we had many opportunities to play in the ocean. One of those days we spent some time boogie boarding at a popular beach.

The water was warm and the waves were amazing, but I discovered that boogie boarding wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. I stood on the beach and watched surfers and boogie boarders catch waves and ride them in so easily. So naturally, I expected to do the same. Instead, I found myself either going nowhere or catching a mouthful of salt water as the waves had their way with me.

I discovered that catching a wave and riding it in was all about timing. I discovered that the good surfers and boogie boarders spend a lot of time waiting: waiting for the right wave and waiting for just the right time to start paddling and kicking. I discovered that boogie boarding actually takes patience.

It’s a lot like life. We’re always in such a hurry to catch the things that we want—and to experience the joy and excitement they bring—that we get impatient and mess up the timing. And instead of catching a wave, we go nowhere or end up swallowing salt water.

Like surfing or boogie boarding, life is often about waiting for the right timing. It’s all about being patient and trusting in the Lord. There is a time and way for everything and it’s God’s timing not ours. If we can be patient and trust in Him, I believe we will experience the wave of a lifetime. Again and again and again!