7th July 2023, 00:20, London
I sit sobbing helplessly on the floor as I hear the sweet melody of the song “Adonai” by Nathaniel Bassey. It seemed like I had done everything, tried everything, and nothing was working.
In times like this, I would think, “If I cried out to God loud enough, perhaps things will change? Maybe all of a sudden, I’ll see everything He promised me because I finally cried out to Him ‘hard enough.’” So I cried. I cried and cried. I wept from the depth of my heart, and guess what happened? He encouraged me. He reminded me that His grace is sufficient for me and He wouldn’t give me more than I could handle.
Did He, however, reduce how much time I had to wait? Absolutely not. At least, as of that day, not at all.
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Today, June 27th, 2024
What I came to realise is that there is an appointed time for the manifestation of every promise that God gives each of us. As painful and harsh as this may sound, tears won’t speed it up.
“There is a season (a time appointed) for everything and a time for every delight and event or purpose under heaven—”
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (AMP)
Even if Elizabeth cried her soul out to God, John the Baptist could not come until Jesus was ready to come. Why? Because there was an appointed time for his arrival. God wasn’t trying to be mean; He orders everything to perfection to suit each individual’s calling and destiny.
The past few years of my life have been very interesting. I’ve gone through so many changes: new job, no job, another new job, love interest, no love interest, no job, new business idea, new friends, lost friends— all sorts of changes have taken place.
Through it all, something beautiful happened: I discovered who I was and what I was born to do. Through the tears, trials, pain, anger, frustration, disappointment, and all the things in between, I finally got a good grasp of why God made Tumi and what she’s called to do.
I am extremely grateful for all I have and where I am. It’s a privilege to be in such a position—to know your purpose and have the time, flexibility, and resources to execute it.
Over the years, I found myself shifting from whining and complaining to intense preparation. Do you know one of the silliest things a person can do while waiting? Not prepare. The waiting season is a blessing from God used to prepare you for the very blessing He wants to give you. It is not a season of “enduring hardship” or “crying till your tear glands dry up.” It’s one of self-discovery and intense preparation.
We will never know our appointed time or the Lord’s visitation day. It’s like how the Bible says:
“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.”
I Thessalonians 5:1-2 (NKJV)
It doesn’t matter when the appointed time is. The real question is: on that day, will you be ready?
Are you praying for your spouse? If yes, have you taken time out to heal with God, learn about forgiveness, grieve old wounds, and come to a place where your heart can handle a relationship of that nature?
Or is it for your business to “blow”? Do you have the necessary infrastructure to handle a sudden influx of new customers or an increased amount of scrutiny?
Or the promotion in your job? Have you learned how to guard your tongue and realise that it’s not everything that needs to be said? Have you worked on your leadership skills in your current role before you get the dream one?
These are a few questions that I’m throwing out there to lead you to think deeply.
Ask yourself: Am I prepared for my appointed time? If the Lord visited me today, would I be ready?
If the answer is no, then it is time to prepare. Prepare until God can say to you, “My darling, now you are ready!” The Spirit of God is always willing to encourage us and give us an indication of when our window of opportunity is nearing. He may not tell you the exact day or moment, but He can reveal that the time of manifestation is here (He did that for me winks).
Today, I leave you with this final scripture:
“For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.” —Habakkuk 2:3 (NKJV)
Best wishes,
Tumi
P.S. This will be our last story till the fall. I know, I’m sorry!! I can’t believe we hacked three months of stories without any hiccups. Thank you, Jesus! I won’t be gone for too long, don’t worry, but it’s a new season and I need time to take a deep breath and adjust to my new ‘new.’ All my love, Tumi
