Even though it can seem like there are very few of them, one of the sure benefits of being single is that I have the freedom to easily commit myself to pursuing new hobbies and interests. With my independence, I can essentially do whatever I want, whenever I want — and not to mention flirt with whomever I want in the process.
In all seriousness though, while I’m in this season of life, I am thankful that I can readily begin new endeavors that help me discover more about myself, which is something that I’m doing right now as I explore my interest in acting through taking an improvisational theater class.
My first class started two weeks ago, and since I had actually been unsuccessfully trying to enroll in one for several months, I was glad that this hope was finally coming to fruition for me. The class, as expected, was a blast. At one point during the session, I was asking myself, “Where has this been all my life? I’m loving this place where my physical comedy moves, my outlandish characters, and my one-liners are appreciated!”
Well, after reflecting on that question for a while after the class ended, I realized that the answer was actually kind of serious. I had to wait on God’s timing to start this class because I wasn’t ready for it — until now.
At the beginning of the first class, while my classmates and I were sitting around nervously and doing introductions, I had this powerful epiphany that it was going to be so important for me to truly engage with all eleven my classmates, to sincerely try to get to know them, and to essentially, love them. I knew that if I really wanted to do this acting thing right, then I would have to be able to have a meaningful emotional connection with my classmates.
Acting is a very intimate and vulnerable art. One way of describing it is that “acting is reacting,” and therefore actors need to truly listen to their partners in order to create a believable and artful scene.
Keeping all of that in mind during my first class, I found myself connecting with a group of complete strangers in a way that would never have been possible for me before, and all of this was made possible by God’s timing. In the months leading up to its start, I had been newly empowered to love people at a deeper level than ever before, which all started with me coming to a better understanding of how much God loves me.
It’s hard to describe how I’ve been experiencing God’s love at an unprecedented level because it’s so infinite, but one way is that I’m beginning to truly realize how God delights in me (Ps 147:11) — and the unconditional acceptance and security that comes along with that has enabled me to better resist my flesh’s tendency to be bitter and to instead see other people in the same way that God does.
During the first few classes, I felt a freedom from internally judging my classmates as too annoying or different from me, and with my new healthy attitude, we were able to truly play off each other and to create some hilarious scenes. If I had brought my level of bitterness and apathy into my class before God had worked on it, then I would have brought down the vibe of the entire group by alienating people.
Learning to appreciate God’s perfect timing in this particular case has also encouraged me to trust Him more with what is perhaps my deepest hope that I’m waiting on, which is for a marriage.
Two years ago, while I was pouring my heart out to a pastor about how devastated I was after a breakup, the pastor said to me, “Maybe you’re not ready to be married.” I initially balked at that statement since I thought that I was in a good place in regards to being fully prepared to love and to serve someone.
But as I’ve been learning to better accept recently, only God knows when I’ll be “ready” for marriage — or rather as ready as I will be to enter another intense season of sanctification with someone else. I’m learning to truly accept that if marriage is in God’s righteous will for me, then He will bring it to pass when the season is right.
The wisdom and love of God are perfect — as is the timing of his sovereignty. Because of that, I can experience contentment in any circumstance and be fully present in every grace-filled moment. Because of that, I can completely trust Him, including with my hope to be blessed with a marriage and family. Above all, because of that, I can fulfill — right here and right now — my highest purpose: to love Him and to love my neighbors.
If you know someone who is struggling with God’s timing, will you email them this post?
Photo credit: SALTOnline
