The Doctrine of Right Time Pt. 2
The Doctrine of Right Time Part 2: Finding Joy in God’s Plan.
“I know that there is nothing better for them to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime.”
Ecclesiastes 3:12-15
What does God desire for us as we live in a chaotic and confusing world? The answer is simple: Enjoy the life He has given us, for it is His gift to us! It is easy in all the struggles of life to become fixated upon the problems. In verses 2- 8, Solomon described life as a journey marked by the uncertainty between two extremes. There is life and death, joy and sorrow, love and hate, war and peace, etc. This summer my wife and I are living with two parallel extremes. We are rejoicing at the anticipated graduation of our son with his Ph.D. in immunology while at the same time facing prolonged chemotherapy treatments for cancer. Sometimes in life, we not only fluctuate between two extremes of life, but we can encounter them both simultaneously. We often focus on the adverse while overlooking the joy as we traverse between them. Solomon reminds us that this journey between extremes is part of God’s design and purpose. Therefore, rather than becoming disjointed and discouraged with the continual change of life as we vacillate between the good and the unpleasant, we are to enjoy the life God gives us. This enjoyment is not dependent upon circumstances but on perspective. God’s gift for us is the capacity to enjoy life and see the good we can accomplish in all our work.
In verse 14, we discover the basis for the enjoyment of life: The sovereignty of God. We often struggle with the affirmation that God is entirely sovereign, for we want to be in control. We want a God who controls the universe but allows us to control our destiny and plans. However, Solomon reminds us that no one can thwart or change God’s will and that He controls the universe and the events of our lives. This is not fatalism, where God predetermines every action, and He acts arbitrarily and capriciously. Instead, He is governed by His love so that He has a purpose that is ultimately good. God exercises His sovereignty in such a way that we might fear Him. This fear is not terror but the attitude of deep reverence that leads us to obey Him. In the Scriptures, the fear of God was equivalent to the love of God. To fear Him is to love and seek Him in all things. This attitude results in the desire to obey Him because He governs the universe and our lives. God is not overseeing and guiding the affirms of our life with purpose. He desires to orchestrate the events so we might respond in love and obedience to Him. His love and sovereignty find its ultimate expression in Christ, whose appearance was at the right time to bring salvation to us.
As we face the seemingly arbitrary nature of life’s events and the timing of those affairs, we have hope because we know that a loving God is the unseen hand guiding all circumstances to bring us to Him. Life's timing and events do not distract us from enjoying life; instead, they provide the pathway by which we discover ultimate enjoyment, for they serve as a guide to direct us to God. Because of this, we can rest in His sovereignty.
When we are facing struggles and adversity in life, we do not need to despair. We can instead rest in a God whose plans cannot be altered, for they are perfect. We can rest in Him knowing that the movement of the events and the timing of our life are perfect, for He is perfect in all that He does.
“I know that there is nothing better for them to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime.”
Ecclesiastes 3:12-15
What does God desire for us as we live in a chaotic and confusing world? The answer is simple: Enjoy the life He has given us, for it is His gift to us! It is easy in all the struggles of life to become fixated upon the problems. In verses 2- 8, Solomon described life as a journey marked by the uncertainty between two extremes. There is life and death, joy and sorrow, love and hate, war and peace, etc. This summer my wife and I are living with two parallel extremes. We are rejoicing at the anticipated graduation of our son with his Ph.D. in immunology while at the same time facing prolonged chemotherapy treatments for cancer. Sometimes in life, we not only fluctuate between two extremes of life, but we can encounter them both simultaneously. We often focus on the adverse while overlooking the joy as we traverse between them. Solomon reminds us that this journey between extremes is part of God’s design and purpose. Therefore, rather than becoming disjointed and discouraged with the continual change of life as we vacillate between the good and the unpleasant, we are to enjoy the life God gives us. This enjoyment is not dependent upon circumstances but on perspective. God’s gift for us is the capacity to enjoy life and see the good we can accomplish in all our work.
In verse 14, we discover the basis for the enjoyment of life: The sovereignty of God. We often struggle with the affirmation that God is entirely sovereign, for we want to be in control. We want a God who controls the universe but allows us to control our destiny and plans. However, Solomon reminds us that no one can thwart or change God’s will and that He controls the universe and the events of our lives. This is not fatalism, where God predetermines every action, and He acts arbitrarily and capriciously. Instead, He is governed by His love so that He has a purpose that is ultimately good. God exercises His sovereignty in such a way that we might fear Him. This fear is not terror but the attitude of deep reverence that leads us to obey Him. In the Scriptures, the fear of God was equivalent to the love of God. To fear Him is to love and seek Him in all things. This attitude results in the desire to obey Him because He governs the universe and our lives. God is not overseeing and guiding the affirms of our life with purpose. He desires to orchestrate the events so we might respond in love and obedience to Him. His love and sovereignty find its ultimate expression in Christ, whose appearance was at the right time to bring salvation to us.
As we face the seemingly arbitrary nature of life’s events and the timing of those affairs, we have hope because we know that a loving God is the unseen hand guiding all circumstances to bring us to Him. Life's timing and events do not distract us from enjoying life; instead, they provide the pathway by which we discover ultimate enjoyment, for they serve as a guide to direct us to God. Because of this, we can rest in His sovereignty.
When we are facing struggles and adversity in life, we do not need to despair. We can instead rest in a God whose plans cannot be altered, for they are perfect. We can rest in Him knowing that the movement of the events and the timing of our life are perfect, for He is perfect in all that He does.
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