What Blueberry Picking Taught Me About God's Timing
Recently my precious family of 5 and I went blueberry picking. We were so excited to spend some quality time together experiencing something new and had a little bit of strategic advice from our neighbor who goes frequently. Following Aunt Lo’s advice, upon arrival, we headed all the way to the back of the blueberry farm, made a sharp right down one of the rows and began gathering.
I was picking next to my eldest son, V, and as I watched his little hands grab one branch at a time and pull all of the blueberries off in one strong swipe I realized that he was pulling the immature blueberries off with the perfectly ripe blueberries. “Look for big blue blueberries and leave the ones with purple marks or that are still light green on the branch. If you pull the latter two off too soon they wont have time to fully grow and develop. They will be tart or sour and unpleasant to eat, we won’t be able to cook with them.” I said.
It was in this moment, when heat was starting to rise with the sun, beads of sweat were starting to form on our foreheads, and excitement for the harvest we were gathering in our little white buckets abounded, that God spoke to me. I love it when He does this, in the unsuspecting, not necessarily quiet, but clearly spoken way that he sometimes does…….he placed Ephesians 2:10 on my mind and in my heart. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
This verse tells us that God has already crafted us for a specific purpose and has prepared good works for us to accomplish. The word works in greek, the original language in which this verse was written, is ἔργον. Translated, ergon means business, employment, or anything accomplished by hand, art, industry, or mind. It is a reminder that our lives are not random, but intentionally designed by a loving Creator who knows our potential and has a vision for our future. Waiting on God’s timing, in this context, is about trusting that He knows the perfect moment for us to be plucked out of one season and begin another.
V’s strong swipe to collect quantity over quality reminded me of how it is tempting to pave our own ways and control our own path because of our fleshly desires. And how tangible that path is compared to waiting on God and practicing patience in what sometimes feels like a season of silence or stillness. Being patient, silent, and still is in direct contract with how our society operates. This was exactly what my eldest was doing. He was pulling grapes in direct contrast to how they should be pulled. Slowly, carefully, selecting only the ones that reached full maturity.
God was revealing that there are ordained events or roles for our lives that he has prepared ahead of time. We cannot be hasty in performing or pursuing these tasks before his ordained timing because we're not yet spiritually mature enough to handle them!
Trusting in God's plan and His perfect timing can often feel like a challenge, especially when we long for things to unfold according to our own desires. However, the Bible offers us profound encouragement and reassurance in scriptures like Ephesians 2:10 and Jeremiah 29:11, which remind us that God has a purpose and a plan for our lives, far greater than we can imagine.
Jeremiah 29:11 further strengthens this assurance: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." This promise is a source of immense comfort when we feel lost or uncertain about our path. It reminds us that God's plans , מַחֲשָׁבָה, for us are good and filled with hope. His maḥăšāḇâ, or intention and purpose, for us is not to be unpleasant. His maḥăšāḇâ’s are for peace, contentment, posterity, and hope. Waiting on His timing involves surrendering our own timelines and expectations, and trusting that His plans will ultimately lead to our greatest good.
So how do we do this? How do we set aside the tangible desires and self determined problem solvings to satiate our flesh? We do it by connection. We do it by relationship. We do it by taking off our cloak of self-servingness and putting on our cloak of obedient adherence. Here are some practical steps for waiting on God's timing:
Prayer: Communicate with God regularly, expressing your desires and surrendering your timeline to Him.
Patience: Practice patience and trust that God is working behind the scenes, even when you can't see it.
Scripture: Meditate on verses like Ephesians 2:10 and Jeremiah 29:11, allowing God's Word to encourage and strengthen your faith.
Reflection: Reflect on past experiences where God's timing was perfect, even if it wasn't what you expected at the time.
Service: Focus on serving others and using your gifts to glorify God while you wait.
Ultimately, waiting on God's timing is an act of faith. It requires us to trust in His wisdom and love, even when we don't understand His ways. But as we learn to surrender and trust, we open ourselves up to experiencing the fullness of His plans and the blessings He has prepared for us.