Understanding God’s Timingਨਮੂਨਾ

Have you ever experienced God calling you to shift when it seemed like the least ideal time? Perhaps everything was going well in your career, relationships, or ministry, yet you sensed a nudge from God toward something different. These moments often leave us questioning whether we've heard correctly or should simply maintain our current path.

I remember when I felt God leading me to close down the flourishing brand agency that my husband and I had built together. The previous year had been our most successful, and all indicators suggested continued growth. Yet, in the midst of this success, I heard God clearly say, "I want you to shut it down. You've seen my faithfulness in this, but I need your attention elsewhere now."

This directive challenged me deeply. After all, wouldn't continued success in business provide more resources for ministry and kingdom work? However, God's ways rarely align with human logic. In Isaiah 55:8-9, it says, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." God’s perspective sees what our limited vision cannot perceive.

Understanding God’s timing requires recognizing that He often initiates shifts during seasons of success rather than failure. Right when everything seems perfect is precisely when He might redirect us. This pattern appears throughout Scripture, particularly in the journey of the Israelites as they followed God's presence through the wilderness.

In Exodus 40:36-37, it says, "Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up." Their movement depended entirely on God's presence, represented by the cloud. Sometimes, the cloud would remain stationary for days, weeks, or even months, while other times, it would move unexpectedly.

This pattern teaches us something profound about divine timing: it operates according to God's perfect wisdom rather than our comfort or convenience. The Israelites couldn't demand movement when the cloud remained still, nor could they insist on staying when the cloud lifted. Their journey depended on surrender to the Lord’s timing.

Similarly, our lives experience various shifts—relationship shifts, role shifts, and responsibility shifts. None of these transitions necessarily indicates failure; rather, they often reflect necessary progression into God's plan. Just as seasons change in nature, spiritual seasons transition by God’s design.

When considering whether God is calling you to shift, first acknowledge that the timing may feel inconvenient or illogical from a human perspective. Then, examine whether you sense this shift from a place of faithful obedience, restlessness, frustration, or comparison. God’s calls to shift always originate from His direction, not our discomfort.

Pause and Ponder: In what area of your life might God be calling you to shift, even though external circumstances appear to be thriving? How can you discern whether this nudge comes from God or personal restlessness?