In John 7:1-10, Jesus is in His home territory of Galilee, with the time drawing near for the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem. Faithful pilgrims would soon begin their long journeys.

Jesus’ brothers, not yet believers, were needling Him to go to the feast. They were cynically pushing Him to go and show off His “miracles”. “Why do these things in secret? Go show Yourself to the whole world!” they mocked.

Jesus responded, “My time is not yet here; for you anytime will do” (John 7:6, NIV).

“For you anytime will do.” If our agenda is set by human desires – whether our own desires or the desires of others – it will always be time to act. Human desires are a constant craving. They will always push us to act NOW. Human wisdom shouts that we should set goals, then reach them by careful planning, diligence, and personal initiative. The time is always NOW. It’s all up to you! Don’t just sit there! Go for it!

But if you are following God’s agenda, you will need to await His time, as did Jesus. Realize that God has gifted all human beings with the power to make meaningful decisions. He then forces them to live with the consequences of those decisions. In order to respect our decisions and still surely accomplish His own purposes, He waits for the right time to take just the right action. He patiently works within human limitations.

For example, God knew that Jesus was the full and final solution for all our needs. He was the key to God’s entire plan of salvation. Yet He waited for thousands of years until “the fullness of time came” (Galatians 4:4, NASB) before sending Jesus.

If you want God’s will for your life, you will have to await His time. That wait can be days, months, years, or decades. Many of His choice servants have died without ever seeing the fruit they desired from their labors. God is never rushed, never surprised, never caught short. He always does the perfect thing at the perfect time. Wait on Him. Each day be content to do whatever task He has assigned you that day, however menial or meaningless it seems. Faithfully plant the seed He gives you, then leave the harvest in His hands.