Trusting God's Timing

Have you ever scrolled through social media and felt like everyone else’s life is moving forward — except yours? Promotions, vacations, weddings, and new homes fill your feed, and you can’t help but wonder, “When is it my turn, God?”

In this post, we’ll explore what it really means to trust God’s timing, even when life feels slow or unfair. Through Scripture and reflection, you’ll discover how patience and faith can bring peace in the waiting — and how God’s “not yet” isn't always a “no.”

Read on to find encouragement for your season of waiting.

I don’t know who needs to hear this today, but God has placed it on my heart for someone out there.

When It Feels Like Everyone Else Is Moving Forward

This feeling is common, especially among young adults—but truly, it can happen to anyone. You’re scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, and here’s what you see:
A job promotion.
And you think, “There’s no room for growth in my current job.”

An amazing vacation.
You sigh, knowing your bank account is barely covering this month’s bills.

A new relationship, proposal, or wedding announcement.
You’re reminded of a recent heartbreak—or that you’ve been single far longer than you imagined.

A baby announcement. A new home.
It seems like the good news just keeps coming for everyone else.

And somewhere deep inside, maybe you whisper—or cry out—“Why, God?” It might not even be these exact situations, but something in your life makes you feel forgotten or like you’re falling behind. You genuinely want to celebrate others’ joy—and you do—but if you’re honest, there’s still that quiet voice asking, “When will it be my turn? Lord, have You forgotten about me?”

When You Don’t Understand the “Why” or "How"

I think of the disciples in John 13. As they prepared for Passover, Jesus unexpectedly began to wash their feet. Peter, shocked and uncomfortable, couldn’t comprehend why Jesus would do this. But Jesus responded, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

You might be thinking, "This passage is about Jesus washing feet, not my life!" But it applies more than you realize—to your life, my life, and the lives of those you’re trying so hard to celebrate.

It all comes down to trust.

When Jesus washed their feet, He redefined leadership and love as humility and service—something the disciples didn’t expect. They couldn’t understand the “why” in that moment. But later, through His death, resurrection, and their mission to spread the Gospel, everything became clear.
The same is true for us.

Consider the Israelites: God promised them the “Promised Land,” a land flowing with milk and honey. But they wandered in the desert for 40 years. Many never made it to the destination—but God’s promise was still fulfilled, in His perfect timing. During those years, they often felt abandoned, so much so that they questioned if returning to slavery in Egypt would be better than pressing forward. They misunderstood how God’s promise would happen because they didn’t have the full picture.

The Israelites didn’t just need to trust God—they had to practice patience too. Galatians 5:22 reminds us, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Their journey ended in fulfillment, but it didn’t look or happen the way they anticipated.

What about us?

Just because you haven’t received something yet doesn’t mean God is saying “no.” Maybe He’s saying, “not yet.”
Or perhaps He’s saying, “You don’t understand now—but later, you will.”

Sometimes we misinterpret God’s promises—or even our own desires—just as the disciples misunderstood Jesus’ act of service. We expect them to look a certain way, but God often has something far greater in mind than we could ever imagine.

So today, I want to encourage you:
Stop comparing your journey to someone else’s highlight reel. Their blessings are not your setbacks. Their timing is not your delay.

Look to the Lord for your plans and purpose—not to others.

Trust that whatever God is doing—even if you don’t see it yet—will make sense in His time.

Reflection Prompt:

Is there an area of your life where you need to trust God's perfect timing?
Pause for a moment, pray, and let go of that burden, placing it in His hands.