Appointments with God – Timing is Critical

In the life we live today and especially in the world of work, we get things done by appointments. We make decisions, close on critical assignments, get our health checked, catch flights, get our hair and nails done ALL by appointments. Work meetings, doctors, dental, salon, school appointments fill up our days. There is hardly anything we do today without an appointment.

For some of us who have very effective and efficient prayer, study and worship routines, we have a set time every morning or evening to seek God’s face through His word, prayer or worship. Some of us stick to this religiously as it has become part of our DNA. If you are of this group, good for you!!!! You have indeed overcome one of the greatest challenges of walking with God and having a relationship with him.

For others who still struggle in these areas and are unable to carve out time to make the most important appointment of their day i.e. commune with their creator, what you find is that the desire is there, they wish to, they are motivated but somehow cannot stay consistent and focused to keep the said time sacrosanct and undisturbed by any other agenda or distraction.

Yours truly was part of this latter group. I wrestled to find a way, asking God to help me make a way so that I could make quality time to commune deeply with Him as I know there are some answers I would only get in the place of deep and still prayer.

I had failed at almost any appointment I had with God. Every promise I made to meet with Him or direction He gave me through the Holy Spirit to meet with Him was not met – 3 am prayer, 5 am prayer, Friday night vigil, Friday night worship,… many ‘appointments’ missed.  Oh, I was a praying Christian, alright, but each time of prayer if was honest with myself was rushed, not of any real quality. I knew there was more. I knew God was calling me into deeper fellowship and communion with Him. Yet in my strength I just could not make it. With each missed appointment came some depression and self-condemnation.

My breakthrough came sometime in 2015 during a self -motivated 14-day prayer and fasting intervention. I usually would miss my prayer appointments at 5pm before breaking the fast after 6pm, this would frustrate me immensely. Though at the time I did not have scripture for this, I had a deep sense that even though I would still pray deeply but that the timing when I was meant to do it was the best timing to hear from God; I knew everything concerning me and my hearing from God was aligned strategically in the spirit realm for that time. The atmosphere was right.

One fateful day, I hear the Holy Spirit whisper in my spirit, “If you had a 5 pm plane to catch for a work meeting, would you take it lightly?” It stopped me in my tracks. Why? Because I am one of those overly cautious travelers; I always want to check-in online ahead once the portal opens, get to the airport early and check-in. I would rather sit in a departure lounge 2 hours earlier than my flight than miss the flight. So, if I take an earthly appointment so seriously, why could I not take my appointment with God even more so seeing that the benefits of everlasting value to my life? After that nudge I would always have a mental note when I start making bad compromises about my time with God. I would say to myself, “You have a plane to catch – a flight to meet with God.” So, did it work? Hmm…it was a start.

My recent struggle on the same issue led me to write this blog. A second analogy came through the Holy Spirit again. Working in Corporate life, I DARE NOT miss an appointment with my Group CEO or any of the C-Level executives I sometimes support in my job. Days I must meet with them or deploy any specific intervention for them, I have my ‘A’ game on. I organize myself in a way that I am on time, sometimes 30 mins early!! Why? Because again a lot is at stake – my efficiency, effectiveness, reputation and brand as a professional.  So, if I can do this for my earthly bosses and clients, why do I take my heavenly Father for granted? Why do I always think, “Oh it’s God, He understands.” Does He really? Oh my, this hit me bad and set me on a readjustment plan.

Time with God is not to be compromised especially if it was an appointment you committed to through the Holy Spirit. Many things are at stake. Timing is important and critical. It’s like a timed internet portal is open from a specific period for an upload or a download… when the portal closes its even more difficult. Sometimes it’s a word from God, sometimes its deep insight, revelation or a concrete direction of steps to take in a particular situation. Sometimes it’s a warning instruction from God.

I liken this to the spirit of procrastination, always pushing things forward. One loses time and we do not do things within the lifetime of the opportunity. When we procrastinate, we are always 1hr, 1 day late and short… It’s an awful feeling. So, if procrastination makes us feel this way about earthly decisions and actions with earthly benefits how much more time with God with heavenly benefits. Think about it….

It takes a lot of obedience and self- discipline. This combination is not always easy. To live a disciplined spiritual life through obedience is never easy, sometimes it hurts, it’s not comfortable, you don’t have ease all the time. So, it costs. But it’s a good cost. I still struggle, by the way, but I am aware; I have accepted my struggle; I am conscious and I lean on the greatest helper of all – the Holy Spirit – to help me daily.

Our God is a God of time. He created the heavens & earth in 7 days. Everything was done at a set time and strategically organized. He created time, He is efficient, He is timely (always on time)! He inspired Solomon to write the wise advice on Timing.
There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth… (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
Key word here is ‘opportune time’. This is when the portal is open people for uploads and downloads.

​May God help us to do the right things at the right time. Amen

Written by Bee
Be Your Best Self for God series