Devotionals by Dr. M. Craig Barnes
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.
My old piano teacher used to tell me, "The right note played at the wrong time is the wrong note." I think about that when I'm confronting a decision. The real challenge is not in knowing what to do, but when to do it. Timing, as they say, is everything. This is particularly true when it comes to discerning God's will. The important thing to decide is not just what does God want us to do, but when should we do it? I think the best answer to that question is that we should do what God has placed in front of us today.
I have noticed that no one leaves a funeral resolved to jump into the work load that's waiting at the office. No, they leave thinking about how precious and fleeting the gift of life is. They think about their relationships, health, and if they are missing life by trying to hustle too many goals. Maybe they think about making a change or two.
As King Solomon said, there is a season for everything. You don't want to miss one season of life because you're worried about the next one, and you don't want to miss the next season because you're clinging to the past. When the music of life is played too quickly, it sounds like a jumbled mess. When it is played too slowly, it's just plain dull. If God has placed an opportunity before you, it may be time to take it. But only if it keeps the rhythm interesting.
-- Craig Barnes