The Paradox of God's ⛈️ Terrible and 🌅Perfect Timing

🌱 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

In the words of the renowned British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, "If you're going through hell, keep going." This advice aligns perfectly with the biblical truth expressed in Romans 8:28. The journey through the "terrible" is a necessary passage to experience the divine beauty of God's "perfect" timing.

The English language, with all its complexities and subtleties, can sometimes throw us off with its surprises. This is particularly obvious when we use 'terrible' and 'perfect' to talk about God's timing - it seems like a weird mix at first.

Let's break it down. 'Terrible' comes from a Latin word 'terrēre,' which means 'to frighten.' These days, we mostly use it to mean something bad or of low quality. But if we look back, 'terrible' was used in old English to describe something amazing, something that could demand respect or even cause fear due to its great size or strength.

📜 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise" (Proverbs 9:10).

God, in all His greatness and power, is certainly 'terrible,' but not in the negative way we usually think about. He's 'terrible' in the original, older sense: he inspires awe, respect, and even a bit of fear. This isn't the type of fear that freezes you in your tracks, but the kind that pushes you to a deeper respect, understanding, and wisdom about His divine nature. It helps us build a deep and personal bond with our Creator, giving us a chance to experience His limitless love and endless wisdom.

When we're awestruck by God's magnificence, the way we see things starts to change, and we get a peek at His divine plan and purpose for us. When we're in this state of deep respect, we start to see the detailed beauty and complexity in His design, even when it's hard for us to fully understand it.

🌌 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:9).

When it comes to divine matters, timing is a reflection of God's all-powerful nature and His total control over every part of our lives. We, as humans with our own limitations, often find it tough to understand His timing, labeling it as 'terrible' when we face hardships and tough times. Our limited understanding can make it hard to see the broader perspective, and we might feel overwhelmed or even deserted by God during these rough patches.

📚 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds" (James 1:2).

Even in the middle of life's challenges, we're encouraged to find happiness, which might feel odd at first. These tough times, although they're hard, give us a chance to build our character and strengthen our bond with God. He tests our strength through adversity, pushing our faith to the max, checking how true our dedication to Him is. Even though we might stumble and even fool ourselves at times, God is the best judge of what's in our hearts; nothing we feel or think is hidden from Him.

👀 "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows" (Galatians 6:7).

This potent verse reminds us that what we do has outcomes, in this life and beyond. God, with His boundless wisdom, sees past our pretenses and understands the real motives behind our actions. We can't hide from His all-seeing eye, and we can't trick Him with fake devoutness or surface-level faith.

When we're going through tough times, we face a decision: to get closer to God or to pull away from Him. When we decide to stick with Him, trusting in His promises and believing in His kindness, we show the realness of our faith. As we keep going through hard times, we're refined, just like gold in a furnace, and come out stronger and more sturdy than before.

🔥 "For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver...we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance" (Psalm 66:10, 12).

As believers, we must recognize that every trial we face is an opportunity for growth and transformation. Through adversity, God molds us into the people He wants us to be, equipping us to fulfill our unique purpose in His divine plan. When we embrace trials with joy, trusting in God's sovereignty and seeking His guidance, we reap a harvest of righteousness and peace.

Therefore, let us face our trials with courage and conviction, knowing that our loving Creator is with us every step of the way. As we walk through the fire, let us cling to God's promises, allowing His refining process to transform us into vessels of His grace and instruments of His love.

🙏 "But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold" (Job 23:10).

Now, let's turn to 'perfect.' Originating from the Latin 'perfectus,' it means 'completed, excellent, accomplished.' God's timing, from a metaphysical perspective, is always complete and accomplished, even if it doesn't align with our human expectations or desires.

⏰ "He has made everything beautiful in its time" (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

This powerful verse reminds us that God's divine orchestration of events is not only beautiful but also inherently perfect. When we perceive His timing as terrible or unfavorable, it's often because we're looking from a limited, earthly perspective, unable to see the grand tapestry He is weaving.

God's timing transcends our comprehension – it's not just good, but perfect, purposeful, and complete. It takes into account factors and circumstances that we may not even be aware of, working harmoniously to fulfill His divine plan for our lives.

🌠 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord" (Isaiah 55:8).

Being limited creatures, we just can't fully understand the endless wisdom and foresight of our Creator. Our limited comprehension can sometimes make us doubt or question His timing, especially when we're dealing with obstacles or unforeseen hold-ups.

But it's important to remember that God's ways and thoughts are much higher than ours. His plan for our lives reaches far beyond what we can imagine for ourselves, and His timing is always intentional and divinely set.

🕊️ "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).

As we learn to trust in God's perfect timing, we can find peace and rest in the knowledge that He is in control of every aspect of our lives. We can let go of our need to understand and instead embrace the mystery and wonder of His divine plan, believing that His timing is always for our ultimate good.

In our moments of doubt or impatience, let us remember that God's timing is not just good but perfect, purposeful, and complete. By surrendering our expectations and trusting in His divine wisdom, we open ourselves to experience the fullness of His love, grace, and provision in our lives.

🌅 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

🌟 Embracing the understanding that God's timing is perfect, even when it appears terrible, is a transformative journey of faith. As we adjust our perspective and recognize the wisdom behind trials, the purpose behind delays, and the preparation behind desolation, we move towards spiritual restoration 🔄.

This mysterious paradox reveals that God's timing, although seemingly terrible to us in the moment, is unequivocally perfect ✨. It is tailored for our growth, preparation, and ultimate good. God is not an unkind clockmaker but a loving Father, molding and shaping our character through every trial, waiting period, and 'setback' 🌱.

The 'terrible' times lead us into deeper communion with God, stripping away our self-reliance and teaching us to lean on Him 🙏. The perfect timing of God is a symphony – each beat may seem discordant when isolated, but together, they create a harmonious melody, woven with threads of divine love, wisdom, and purpose 🎶.

In God's divine orchestration, the terrible becomes the gateway to the perfect. The awe (and sometimes fear) we feel in the face of His seemingly terrible timing transforms into reverence, wisdom, and trust as we witness His perfect plans unfolding.

💫 "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" (Jeremiah 29:11).

As the famous theologian and reformer John Calvin once said, "God tolerates even our stammering, and pardons our ignorance whenever something inadvertently escapes us - as, indeed, without this mercy there would be no freedom to pray."

By ceasing to view God's timing as terrible and acknowledging its perfection, the restoration is complete 🌟. We emerge stronger, wiser, more resilient, and with a heart aligned to God's. It's the culmination of a faith journey, where we stop merely surviving the 'terrible' and start thriving in His perfect timing 🦋.

So let us embrace the 'terrible' with grace, lean into His perfect timing with faith, and move forward on the path He's laid for us, towards complete restoration 🌅.

God’s timing – terrible yet perfect, challenging yet transformative – is indeed a divine paradox worth exploring and experiencing 🌌.