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In the turning of the earth, all things move according to rhythm. Migrating birds follow unseen maps across continents. Trees shed their leaves not in haste but in harmony with the shortening light. Even seeds wait through winter, resting beneath the soil until warmth and moisture call them to rise. Nothing in nature rushes its own unfolding. Seasons come not by demand, but by design. To live in tune with creation is to recognize the wisdom of timing—that there is a time to begin and a time to release, a time to grow and a time to rest.
Have you ever felt out of sync with your own life? As if what you longed for was just beyond reach, or what you had hoped to keep was already slipping away? Imagine pausing long enough to ask not just what is happening, but when—to wonder if this is a season for planting or one for letting go. Our impatience often clouds our perception, but a quieter awareness invites clarity. When you look back, can you see moments that made sense only in hindsight, their timing more perfect than you first realized?
The practice of Examen helps you attune your spirit to these hidden patterns. It offers a way to look gently over your day, your week, your life—not for perfection, but for presence. Like tracing a river’s path after rain, Examen helps you notice where something deeper has been moving all along. Over time, it teaches you to trust the cadence of life’s seasons, and to find peace not in controlling time, but in discerning its purpose.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 ESV).
Solomon acknowledges life’s seasons and their appointed times, recognizing that opposing activities have their proper moments. This helps us embrace rather than resist life’s natural rhythms and cycles.
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5 ESV).
God orchestrated Jesus’ arrival at the perfect historical moment—”the fullness of time.” Strategically aligning historical, cultural, and spiritual factors for maximum redemptive impact. God’s salvation plan unfolds with precise timing that maximizes its effectiveness and reach.
Our culture values instant gratification and immediate results. We grow impatient with divine timelines that seem unnecessarily slow. Yet Scripture reveals a God whose timing, while often mysterious, proves perfectly calibrated to accomplish his purposes with maximum effectiveness.
Spiritual Move: Examen
Examen is the practice of reflecting on your day or week, looking for where God has been present. It helps you see His timing in your life, allowing you to acknowledge His hand in the seasons of growth, waiting, and change.
Journaling Prompts:
1. Where are you currently struggling with God’s timing? What might trust look like in this situation?
2. Reflect on an experience where God’s timing proved wiser than your preferred schedule. What did you learn?
Thought and Discussion Questions:
1. How does our culture’s relationship with time affect our spiritual expectations about when God should act?
2. What factors might have made Christ’s arrival “the fullness of time”? What does this teach us about God’s timing?
3. Share about a time when embracing a difficult season rather than resisting it led to unexpected growth.
4. How might we cultivate patience with divine timing while still living actively and responsively?
We’d love to hear from you! What stood out, and what would you add to the conversation? Drop your thoughts or questions in the “Leave a Reply” section below, (Click the Read in Browser link). — You never know what you might get started.