" ¹ There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: ² a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, ³ a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, ⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, ⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, ⁶ a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, ⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, ⁸ a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. ⁹ What does the worker gain from his toil? ¹⁰ I have seen the burden God has laid on men. ¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. ¹² I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. ¹³ That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil-this is the gift of God. ¹⁴ I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him. ¹⁵ Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account." - Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

Learn from the past, live for today, prepare for tomorrow. To the best of my knowledge, that is the only way it works. You can't live in the past or the future; you can't prepare for the past or the present; and you can't learn from the future. You can only live in the moment. It's the present that God has called us to serve Him. So then why do we have such a struggle with this?  We look at the past and think about how great it was back then - as if it isn't great now…at least until now becomes then; and then it will be great. We complain about the present hoping it will change the future and talk like there is no hope for tomorrow. For example, I was talking to a couple recently who feel that based on their current financial situation, there is no chance they will have any quality of life in the future. How can they say that? Where is their faith in God? Why are we driven to have these thoughts?

I think one way to explain these thoughts is we are driven to be in control. We look at our current situation and think that based on the current level of control we have, we will never be anywhere else other than where we are today. However, control is just an illusion. We really don't have control over much, and when we try to force control it creates frustration and distance. Besides, if we look at the present, we might not see big changes, but if we let God work in our lives and trust in him, we will soon look back and be amazed at just how much has changed.

I recently had a situation where I felt God guiding me in a certain direction, but when it didn't turn out as I expected, I grew frustrated. Was I not hearing God? I did everything I could to allow God's plan to take place. So why didn't God's plan work out as I thought it would? It took me a little time, but I now realize that the plan may be right, but the timing is off. Just because God seemed to reveal His plan for me did not mean it was going to happen at that exact moment. And no matter how hard I try to control the future, I just can't do it.  All I can do is live in the moment.

Nobody knows the right time for everything. We are driven to trust. Once we realize that God is in control and not us, our lives will become much less frustrating and allow us to be much more appreciative of the wonderful gifts right there in front of us. There is a time for everything, just not necessarily at the time we want. However, if we trust in Him, the timing will be right for all.

Mr. Mark Etting