“I’ve been thinking a lot lately about God’s timing. I love this quote from an article I just read: “The issue for us is trusting God enough to trust also His timing. If we can truly believe He has our welfare at heart, may we not let His plans unfold as He thinks best?”
Yes, we are to plan and love and live and enjoy, to move forward in the way we think best. But it always works better when we involve Him first, then embrace His timeline.
A dear neighbor was just diagnosed with breast cancer; another friend just emailed that she has survived it. Another good friend related how she had just spend the last days with another friend as this sweet lady was passing. We never know what life will bring, or why, but it’s up to us to live it fully now, and plan full steam ahead for tomorrow. And then, when plans are changed, upgraded, or derailed, to trust in His timing.
Lastly, this same author, Carolynn R. Spencer, said, “My desire to alter the Lord’s timing had been the cause of my anguish.” Isn’t that the truth? Isn’t that the source of so much of our worries or angst, trying to push against what just isn’t going to work? Instead, we can put our energy toward accepting and understanding our current situation, and allow ourselves to feel God’s love and desire for our happiness now and for the future.
Best,
Connie
P.S. Congratulations to the 8-week Challenge winner Carol Rose:)
I’m a cancer survivor myself. I was 30 years old when I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. I had a tumor that filled my chest and went deep into my neck. It was 14 inches long and almost 3 inches wide and it was crushing my heart and lungs. That diagnosis came when my daughter was 4 (her birthday was 5 days before I was diagnosed) and my son was 4 weeks old. It was a relief in some ways (my OB said I was itching because I had anxiety – bah!) and a shock in some ways. But here I am. 36 and my son is 6 and my daughter 10. Every once in a while I get to see why I went through that year of chemo and radiation. Today the impression came that it wasn’t just to teach me and guide me to help others. It was to teach others around me to help others. Our friend Roger created Cache Valley for Hope cancer foundation and my husband is on the board. I help whenever I can and my children are involved too. This cancer has given us the opportunity to help cancer patients with immediate financial needs – so they can afford to get the treatment they need. I won’t go into it here. But the biggest thing is that I get to help all the moms going through cancer. I get to answer questions. I’ve even taken them on a tour of the local cancer center. Amy, 24, who found a lump while breast feeding her 1st child. BreeAnn who was my physical therapist was diagnosed stage 1 breast cancer when her twins were 18 months old. Jenny, 39 and mother of 3, stage 4, who I brought countless meals to and spent hours on the phone answering questions and concerns. I could go on and on. So many single young women with cancer too. It is painful sometimes but I have done so much healing and I have so much more hope because I get to help these wonderful ladies. Each of us get the opportunity to help in the healing process if we are brave enough to get over the worry. The worst thing you can say to a cancer patient is, “Let me know if I can help.” because we already feel like a burden. Just listen and then get to work. We can’t do everything for someone but we can do something. And that makes all the difference in the world. (sorry this was so long!)