timing is everything this formula will get you there
Sometimes we find ourselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sometimes we are in the right place but at the wrong time. And there are situations where it is the right time, but we're in the wrong place! King Solomon stated that life is about timing.
"For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace. What do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-10 NLT)
The most encouraging words in this paragraph are the last, "Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time."
One of the most famous timing statements was made to Queen Esther as told in the Bible book of the same name.
The situation for the Jewish people was dire. Haman, a racist, high-ranking, power-hungry political leader in Xerxes' government, plotted to annihilate the Jews by royal decree. The dastardly figure convinced the King that it was in his best interest to encourage all his subjects to kill any Jews of whom they were aware and plunder all their wealth. Though the general populace was bewildered by the decree, it was now law.
Meanwhile, Esther, a Jew, had been elevated to the position of the queen as Xerxes wife, which infuriated Haman. Esther had an uncle, Mordecai, who adopted her when her parents died, and he served as her constant advisor. Uncle Mordecai learned of the evil plot and implored Esther to talk to the King about rescinding the order. Esther was very afraid, but her uncle had convinced her, and ultimately, he made a famous enjoinder to the queen.
"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14 NIV)
For such a time as this, he wisely discerned. Esther was in the right place, at the right time to save her people, so she developed a plan to catch Haman in his intrigue and convince the King to spare her people. Haman was caught and impaled on the same pole he set up to kill Mordecai.
Meanwhile, Esther admonished the King to spare her people. Though his former mandate could not be altered, he created another edict allowing the Jewish people throughout the kingdom to defend themselves, kill anyone who attacked them and plunder their estates. Someone who discerned proper timing saved the Israelite nation.
Timing is everything.
We sometimes refer to someone who has made a significant accomplishment as being in the right place at the right time. However, we fail to recognize that prepared people tend to end up in desirable situations more often than those who do not train and consistently develop their talents.
I have a young friend who is working towards receiving his CPA license. Achieving this goal is very demanding. He’s earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree, worked in the field for several years, and is presently taking the four tests required for certification. With only one more test to pass, I’ve seen him study and work countless hours preparing for this honor. As they should be, CPAs are respected and well-paid given the demanding requirements and responsibilities of the job. I fully expect my friend to enjoy a satisfying career because he has been willing to do the work. He is prepared to be in the right place at the right time.
I think surfing is a beautiful sport, especially when the surfer rides on large, curling waves in a beautiful place like the world-famous north shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Hawaii has all the elements for beautiful water sports – warm sunshine, white sand, clear blue water, and of course, big waves. Expert riders can surf twenty-foot waves in the world-famous Pipeline.
There is one absolute maxim when it comes to surfing. You’ve got to go to the beach and get into the water when there are waves. In other words, you’ve got to be at the right place at the right time and positioned to take advantage of the waves. It’s tough to surf if you want to stay in Pennsylvania.
In the words of another kind of sportsman, if you want to catch fish, you’ve got to be near water. Successful people get into the proper position to take advantage of opportunities. In the case of fishing, one not only has to be near the water but put out a line where there are fish. One learns how to get into position usually only after being out of place for success many times. This leads to the following timing key, perseverance.
Stick it out long enough, and you might find that your time will come. I recently watched an interview with the hit country act, Little Big Town. After touring for six years together, the group finally hit it big with Boondocks. The six years of preparation were not easy right up to the time the song was released.
Kimberly Schlapman’s husband died suddenly, Phil Sweet went through an unexpected divorce, as did Karen Fairchild, and Jimi Westbrook’s father passed away of a heart attack without warning. The then-unknown group stuck together and rode out the storms as their new song hit the charts. They went on to produce numerous hits and win a Grammy Award. Perseverance was crucial to their success, and their willingness to stick with it through thick and thin allowed them to be home when success came knocking at the door.
Many people never seem to realize the right time because they quit just before their triumph. Boxing great Muhammad Ali put it this way. “I hated every minute of training, but I said, "Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”
Once you have prepared, positioned, and persevered, there is one more axiom of good timing, risk. You can be in the right place, at the right time, and still not take advantage of the opportunity. Fear is always a nemesis to achievement.
Esther took her life in her hands by approaching the King with this kind of request. She was afraid like any right-minded person, but she overcame her fear with faith. Esther believed that God had her back, and she was right.
As I recently heard, your faith will grow proportionately to the risk you are willing to take. Low risk, little faith. High risk, big faith.
If you rarely find yourself in the right place at the right time, perhaps it is worth taking a PPPR evaluation. Are you prepared, positioned, and willing to persevere? Once there, will you step off the edge and risk failure when success might be one step away? Esther took and chance and saved an entire nation.
Live Inspired!
Don Mark
