We ask if there is anything about our current situation that may speak to what the Lord is doing in our lives. Understanding the three witnesses, therefore, can help us discern God's timing in our lives.įirstly, we assess our present circumstances. He writes: "The circumstances of our daily life are to us an infallible indication of God’s will, when they concur with the inward promptings of the Spirit and with the Word of God." Importantly, the three witnesses work in tandem with each other. Meyer calls these components the "three witnesses" of guidance. Meyer refers to the various components that make up Christian discernment. In his classic book The Secret of Guidance, F.B. In such occurrences, what is the best way forward? There may be times where we feel called to a certain action or decision but remain unclear about when the action is to occur. Conversely, whenever Christians dampen the work of the Spirit, they are, effectively, stepping out of the flow of God’s timing.īecause Christians are perpetually caught between Kairos and Chronos, God’s time and earthly time, it can be difficult to discern which is which. Thus, whenever Christians open themselves to the work of the Spirit, they are engaging in Kingdom time. God manifests God’s purposes in our lives at the appropriate time. This means that God’s work is not bound by the ticking of the clock. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit continually moves us in deeper alignment with God’s will in our lives. We live in the reality of the resurrection and in the power of the Holy Spirit. God’s timing, therefore, ultimately pertains to the activity of God in the redemption of our lives, through the passion of Jesus Christ.Īs much as we live in a world of seconds and minutes, we also live in a world infused by the Holy Spirit. Jesus himself also refers to his betrayal as the inauguration of God’s kingdom timing: “Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners” ( Matthew 26:45). Luke records that Jesus and his disciples observe the Passover “when the hour had come” ( Luke 22:14). The culmination of God’s work of salvation is highlighted on the cross. This means that the ultimate expression of God’s kingdom-time is Christ’s passion. God’s timing can only be measured through the revelation of God’s work of salvation. Similarly, a legion of demons cries out “What do you want with us Son of Man? Have you come to a torture us before the appointed time?” ( Matthew 8:29). When Mary approaches Jesus about a problem at a wedding, for example, he retorts “What concern is that to me, my hour has not yet come” ( John 2:4). Kairos is whenever God’s power is manifested. Kairos, as opposed to Chronos (meaning chronological time), literally means “opportune time” or “the time of culmination.” The writers of the New Testament use this term to describe the satisfaction of God’s plan. The word that is frequently used to describe this is the Greek word Kairos. God’s timing, therefore, refers to the expression of God’s purposes in our lives. Rather than being concerned with the passage of minutes or years, God is concerned with revealing the kingdom. Scripture declares “with the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day” ( 2 Peter 3:8). God sees the passage of time differently than we do. Below are some important things to know if we wish to rightly discern God’s timing in our lives. Yet this begs the question: If we discern the right action, but at the wrong time, have we discerned wrongly? What do we do when we find ourselves struggling with God’s timing?įiguring out God’s timing may seem daunting, however, there are actions we can take to help align us to God’s kingdom-time will. We need to rightly discern when God wishes us to act as much as we must discern what God wishes us to do. This sense of waiting on God's timing can make discernment a particular struggle for all Christians. Noah had to wait for the rain to fall Abraham waited for the birth of Isaac Israel waited for the coming of the Messiah we wait for Christ’s second coming today. Have you ever noticed that God's timing isn't what we imagined it would be and He often asks the faithful to wait? Amid the declaration of grand promises, the realization of God’s plan is held back until an appropriate time.
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