STUDENT MINISTRY: God’s Timing
The idea of God’s timing has been on my mind a lot lately. In February 2023, my mother’s kidneys decided they were done working. We got her to the hospital, and after a lengthy stay, she headed home and began to take dialysis. It was hard during those first months as she tried to figure out her new normal. There were changes to her diet. There were changes to her schedule. It was a lot, but she handled it like she has handled so many things since my father passed away in 2010. She is a sweet but tough and independent woman.
After looking at long-term options, we decided to pursue a kidney transplant for her. She connected with a couple of different programs and did everything she needed to make sure she was a good candidate. There were ups and downs even in that process. She was on one list and then was taken off because of tests she had to have. Then, she was back on. As her son, it was hard to see her go through the ups and downs, especially the downs. No one wants to see their mom struggle.
I am glad to share the news that on Aug. 16, God said, “It’s time.” She received her kidney transplant and is doing great. She is at home and leaning into a new normal.
None of us want to wait. I know my mother didn’t want to. She didn’t like being tethered to a chair three mornings a week. It limited her travel and independence. However, it was all a part of God’s timing and plan. She might have never received a new kidney, but even then, we would have trusted that God is sovereign and His timing is perfect.
God’s timing in ministry can also be frustrating. There are things we want to be able to do with our students and congregation, but God is saying, “Wait.” We must trust that God is in control and He knows best. How do we trust God in those moments? We remember things about Him. Here are a few to remember:
• He provided for our greatest need. Our greatest need has nothing to do with our bodies or health. Our greatest need is all about our spiritual condition. When God provided the great gift of Jesus, our relationship with the Father could be restored. For God so loved the world that He gave us Jesus.
• He is eternal and unchanging. The God I follow is the same God my family served years and years ago. It is the same God Moses served. The culture may change, but my God does not.
• All things work together for His glory. Romans 8:28 tells us that God is working things out in His timing and for His purpose. We can lean into that and know there is a purpose in waiting on God’s timing rather than pushing forward for our own.
As you work with students, let me encourage you to help them trust God’s timing. Speak of the times you have waited on God and how He has proven Himself in your life. Things may take longer than you want, but God is never late.
Join us on Sept. 14 for our annual Student Ministry Workers Retreat at Central Baptist College. Our theme this year is discipleship. Register by Sept. 1 for the regular rate of $30. College, seminary and CBC students are eligible for special rates.
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Dan Carson
BMA Youth Department Director Dan Carson writes a weekly column titled, Student Ministry Matters, through which he inspires, challenges, and informs BMA of Arkansas churches and church staff about all things pertaining to student ministry.
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