I needed air. The weight of disappointment made it difficult for me to catch my breath. I felt sick from dehydration. If I had known earlier I would have cried so many tears, I would have consumed the 36-pack of bottled water I brought with me to the Christian writer’s conference.

It had been five years since God called me to write, and three since He promised my work would be traditionally published. I thought I had been faithful – writing, researching, praying, and meditating on Scripture. I was ready to leap into my next assignment, which I thought would present itself among the beautiful Redwoods of Mount Hermon. I did not expect to be on the floor of my cabin, alone and crying out to God in anger and frustration while my peers were pitching book proposals, signing with agents, and downloading wisdom from the best in the industry.

It has been said that God moves at Mount Hermon; that the Holy Spirit can be felt, and His voice heard in the peaceful quiet that envelopes the tall trees and trickling streams. The property is sacred to those who seek His purpose. I was desperately counting on the promise of God’s presence.

The afternoon breeze cooled my flushed face. I was thankful for the well-trodden, hard-packed trail adjacent to my cabin. I was in no mood for a strenuous hike. Up ahead, a wooden bench nestled beside a petite natural spring beckoned me. As I sat in silence, my mind drifted to all that God had done in, for, and through me since my last visit to Mount Hermon. My impatient behavior and lack of thanksgiving were astonishing. But before I could repent, the words, “Stop working so hard – I have a plan” lightly brushed my right ear.

Do you ever get ahead of God’s timing? Does the whole, “a day is like a thousand years [to the Lord], and a thousand years are like a day” (2 Peter 3:8) drive you bonkers? It does me. So often, I am tempted to scratch the ‘control’ itch and make stuff happen when things don’t seem to be moving fast enough. But the reality is, that chasing after a dream, such as a book deal, outside of God’s timing and perfect plan is a surefire recipe for frustration and disillusionment. When we become consumed by the pursuit of our goals on our terms, we risk losing sight of the beauty that lies within the journey itself.

God’s ways are much higher than our ways, and His vision stretches far beyond the limits of our perspective. When He plants a dream or promise in our heart, it is an eternal seed longing to take root – but He does not always disclose the timetable. By withholding a precise timeline, God is inviting us into a journey of trust, patience, and complete dependence on Him. The waiting, albeit difficult, is a holy discipline to loosen our grip and lean more fully into His provisions and timing alone. As hard as it can be, God leaving the timeline open is an act of divine love, positioning us to experience the miracle of His timing at its appointed season.

God has so much more in store for us if we simply “stop working so hard.” Let us all heed this divine advice, give Him the pen, and let Him write our story.

Scripture Reading

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Galatians 6:9

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Psalms 27:14

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.

Prayer:

Lord, we are grateful that Your timing is never late, though it may linger long past when we think it should. You know the appointed times and seasons for all things that concern us. Thank You that we can rest in the certainty that Your purposes will be accomplished in Your perfect timing. We only need to “stop working so hard,” surrender all our strivings at Your feet, and abide in Your promises.