Learning to do the right thing at the right time takes skill. The more you grow as a follower of Christ, the better you do that.

“There is a right time and a right way to do everything, but we know so little” (Ecclesiastes 8:6 GNT).

As you look ahead to the start of a new year, take some time to reflect on your life. What needs to stay the same? What needs to change?

One of the most important things to consider is how you can stay tuned in to God’s timing. Every great accomplishment involves timing. A successful football catch requires incredible timing between quarterback and receiver. In business, good timing in the market—particularly decisions about hiring and expanding—can mean everything. If you sing, you know how important it is to keep time with the other musicians.

Many years ago I wrote a book called The Purpose Driven Church. In the first chapter I compare leadership to surfing. No surfer says, “Let’s go make some waves today.” Surfers can’t create waves in the ocean. Only God can do that. Surfers wait for the waves that God creates. 

That means surfers spend a lot of time waiting. Sometimes they might see a wave and let it go, knowing it’s not the right time. Then the surfer sees just the right wave, starts paddling faster and faster, catches the wave, rides the wave, and gets off the wave without wiping out. Surfing looks easy, but in reality it requires a lot of skill.

The same is true in life. You have to develop the skill of timing. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 8:6, “There is a right time and there is a right way to do everything, but we know so little” (GNT).

There’s a rhythm to life. Learning to do the right thing at the right time takes skill. Christians often call that skill “walking in the Spirit.” The more you grow as a follower of Christ, the better you get at walking in the Spirit. Sometimes God’s Spirit leads you to run fast. Sometimes he leads you to walk slowly.

For the next several days we’re going to look at when God usually wants you to speed up and when he might want you to slow down. You can enter the new year trying to make your own waves. Or you can learn to see and catch the waves God is making all around you.

Talk It Over

When has your timing—maybe in a business decision or in a relationship—been just right? When has it been wrong?

Have you ever felt yourself walking in God’s Spirit? What did that feel like?

God offers you salvation. And today is the day to accept it.

When you say, “Not yet,” you’re actually saying no to Christ. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:2, “Right now God is ready to welcome you. Today he is ready to save you” (TLB).

How do you accept salvation? You turn from yourself to God. You trust Christ to come into your life, forgive your sins, and make you who he wants you to be.

If you’re ready to accept God’s salvation, you can pray a prayer like this:

Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive you as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for forgiving me of my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.

If you just prayed to accept the gift of salvation through Jesus, please email me at Rick@PastorRick.com and let me know about it. I’d like to send you some free materials to help you start your journey with Jesus.

Special Offer: 2020 Daily Hope Prayer Journal

This devotional © 2019 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.