God’s Timing vs. My Timeline
Learning to trust the process when nothing goes according to plan
Insights for Empowerment
I had a plan. April 5th, get diagnosed. May 16th, have surgery. Start recovery. Move forward.
But God had a different plan.
The COVID exposure. The postponed surgery. The cardiologist appointment. The waiting. None of it was on my timeline. All of it was on His.
And slowly, painfully, I had to learn to surrender my need for control and trust that the detours were leading me exactly where I needed to go.
What the Delay Revealed
That heart rate drop on the operating table wasn’t random. It was my body telling the medical team something wasn’t right. If they had proceeded with surgery, who knows what could have happened.
The delay gave my body time to regulate. It gave the doctors time to ensure I was truly ready. It gave my husband time to recover so he could be there when I needed him most.
Every piece of the puzzle was falling into place, just not in the order I expected.
Surrendering the Timeline
I’m a planner. I like knowing what’s coming next. I like having control over my schedule, my decisions, my life.
Cancer took that control away. And the postponed surgery was another reminder that I wasn’t in charge. Not really.
But here’s what I learned: surrendering control doesn’t mean giving up. It means trusting that something bigger than my understanding is at work.
It means accepting that my best-laid plans might need to be rearranged for my own good.
June 14th - The Right Time
When June 14th finally arrived, everything was different. I was medically cleared. My husband was healthy and by my side. I had more time to prepare mentally and spiritually.
The surgery that was supposed to happen on May 16th happened on June 14th instead. And it happened exactly when it was supposed to.
Conclusion
God’s timing isn’t always our timing. But it’s always perfect.
If your treatment is delayed, if your surgery gets postponed, if things aren’t moving as fast as you want them to, take a breath. Trust that the delay might be protecting you from something or preparing you for something.
Your story is still unfolding. And it’s unfolding exactly as it should.
Encouraging Nuggets
Scripture for Today:
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11
Affirmation:
I release my need to control the timeline. I trust that everything is happening in divine order.
So much of what you write, I can relate to. Our timing is certainly not our own. Trusting in challenging times is hard.
Oh my Deb,
In so many ways, we truly share a lot in common. My faith is very strong, yet I still wrestle with inner struggles that can make me feel like I’m screaming inside. I don’t know if I ever told you, but when I went to heaven, Jesus reminded me that if I came back, life would be hard. He was right. It has been.
Over time, I’ve learned different coping techniques—small ways to help me keep moving, to survive, and to stay grounded in the middle of it all. They’re not perfect, but they help me find moments of peace when things feel overwhelming. Humor gets me through most. But the rescheduled surgery would have thrown my normal coping techniques in to the food processor of you known what I mean. You are a strong strong woman. The one Helen Ready sang about.