I have often heard that God is always on time. God is not early or late. Sometimes this is comforting and sometimes this is frustrating. Because when I am waiting, I rarely feel like God is on time. I feel like God is late.

This recent season of job hunting and trying to discern where God wants me to serve has certainly challenged me. In my mind the new role was going to be in place within a couple of months. The contract I was on was on an academic calendar, so I had nine months before the current role officially ended. Lots of applying, lots of praying, lots of networking ensued. Nothing happened.

As time passed, I was getting more and more nervous that I was going to be unemployed. Interviews were happening but no doors were opening. What did all of this mean? What was I supposed to learn from this?

I will be your eternal light.
    Your days of grieving are over.
All your people will live right and well,
    in permanent possession of the land.
They’re the green shoot that I planted,
    planted with my own hands to display my glory.
The runt will become a great tribe,
    the weakling become a strong nation.
I am God.
    At the right time I’ll make it happen.” (Isaiah 60:19-22 MSG).

I am guilty of having my own timeline. I know when I think things should happen, how I think they should unfold, and what the answer should look like. Waiting has a way of exposing just how much I want to be in control how little patience I have. But perhaps that is part of the lesson.

God’s timing doesn’t always match my timing. And just because I cannot see what is happening doesn’t mean God isn’t working. Sometimes the waiting is not wasted time. Sometimes it is where God is preparing me for what comes next. What is next came one week prior to ending the previous role. God wasn’t late, wasn’t early but perfectly on time.

That doesn’t make waiting easy. God’s timing could have included time as unemployed. I’m so grateful it didn’t. Seeing God’s timing in my circumstances leaves me feeling cared for, seen and important.

There are still days when I wish God would hurry up. Days when I wonder why an answer hasn’t come, why a door hasn’t opened, or why I am still standing in the same place when I thought I would have moved on by now.

Maybe God’s timing is less about the clock and more about trust. God was right on time.

How have you experienced God’s timing? Share your story here and breathe life and bring hope to others.