Whether praying for God’s intervention in our lives or observing what we deem to be significant prophetic world events, understand that God operates on a different clock than we do. Our calling is to pray in the Spirit according to God’s will and to wait patiently for His perfect timing…
When thinking about measuring time there are at least Two Clocks to consider: God’s Clock and Man’s Clock. God’s timing isn’t our timing. God’s Clock isn’t Man’s Clock. God’s timing is perfect.
There’s a chapter on waiting for God’s answer to prayer in James and Joel Beeke’s little book Developing a Healthy Prayer Life(link is external). The authors offer biblical examples of prayers and promises which took many years to come to pass: Isaac wasn’t born until Abraham was 100 years old and David had years of fleeing from Saul until he became king etc. God answers prayer in His own way, and fulfills promises in His perfect timing.
One of the biblical illustrations the authors use regarding God’s timing is Habakkuk 2:3.
For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay. (Hab 2:3)
Is there a contradiction here? No! The authors point out that the verse is referring to Two Different Clocks. One clock is from our perspective, while the other is how God uses time. The NET Bible translation perhaps makes this a little clearer:
For the message is a witness to what is decreed; it gives reliable testimony about how matters will turn out. Even if the message is not fulfilled right away, wait patiently; for it will certainly come to pass – it will not arrive late. (Hab 2:3)
