Titus 1 God's timing Part 6

 Titus 1:1-3

"Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness - a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at His appointed season He brought His word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior"

Ever notice how sometimes time seems to fly by and other times it seems to drag? Our view of time is linear, and we see things in sequences of events. God, however, is timeless, and His timing in our lives is perfect. 2 Peter 3:8-9 says, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the LORD, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promises, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” God is outside of time, He knows all things that have happened, are happening and will happen. Whatever God chooses to do and when He chooses to do it, it is the right thing at the right time.

On several occasions in the Bible the disciples questioned Jesus; when they met a man, blind from birth, wanting to be healed, they wanted to know who’s fault his blindness was. “Jesus answered ‘It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him’.” (John 9:3). From this we can see that sometimes things happen so that God will be glorified. In John 11 we read about the man, Lazarus, and his death. In John 11:14 Jesus tells the disciples, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.” Sometimes things happen so that people will come to faith. Having said all this, we do not always know the reason things happen, but when they do, we can trust that God has a purpose. When we pray, or lay our concerns before God, we must not judge God’s actions in light of our own view of how things should turn out. The ways of God are mysterious and beyond our understanding. Whatever His reason, for what we think is a delay in answering, He never forgets us and our ultimate purpose may be understood in the light of the fulfillment of His purposes. As Psalm 39:4-5 says, “Behold you have made my days a few hand breaths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath.” What we think is a lifetime is as a day in God’s eyes.

God is timeless, but in our linear view He is “the Alpha and the Omega”; He is the one “who is and who was and who is to come” (Revelations 1:8). God’s plan for us is beyond our understanding but He has a purpose. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for a welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” When you don’t understand why things are happening in life, trust that “at His appointed season” and since “before the beginning of time” all things are in His hands and will happen in His perfect timing.



1. Why is God not slow to answer our prayers?

2. What are some reasons that things can happen in life?

3. What is the difference between God’s view of time and ours?

4. Why is all this comforting for us?

5. Where else in scripture can you find an example of Jesus telling the disciples the reason something happened?


Great and awesome God of the universe, You were before time, and outside of our understanding, help me to bear witness to Your glory and fill me with unwavering trust in Your perfect timing. Help me to trust that, although we go through hills and valleys, You have a good and perfect plan. May all things work to the glory and honor of Your Name, Amen