When God's Grace governs the clock
"Waiting, in this spiritual sense, is not a passive resignation but an intentional act of surrender, an acknowledgment that human striving must ultimately yield to divine orchestration." — Dr. Asare
“…At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen" – Isaiah 60:22
“At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen” (Isaiah 60:22) is a simple verse, yet it reveals a profound theological and existential truth: Divine timing, though often beyond human understanding, is always perfect. In a world obsessed with immediacy, this verse offers a pearl of countercultural wisdom, inviting us into the sacred rhythm of waiting, trusting, and persevering. Waiting, in this spiritual sense, is not a passive resignation but an intentional act of surrender, an acknowledgment that human striving must ultimately yield to divine orchestration. The silence in waiting can be deafening; yet prayer becomes the sacred dialogue that steadies the soul. In prayer, we are not merely speaking; we are being formed, calmed, and strengthened. We are reminded that we are not abandoned and that our labor is not in vain. Still, waiting does not absolve us of action; faith, if it is to be alive, must be resilient, manifesting not only in hope but also in effort (James 2:26).
I learned this through experience. For six years, I submitted 30 grant applications. However, each met with rejection, and each denial became another test of endurance. The 30th rejection broke me. Tears became my prayer, and discouragement knocked loudly at the door of doubt. Yet, I clung to Isaiah 60:22, not as a cliché but as a lifeline. Through prayer, I found the strength to submit two more applications. Then, the unexpected happened: back-to-back NIH grants totaling $3 million. That breakthrough wasn’t a random act; it was the manifestation of God’s faithfulness and grace. The grants that got funded were not new ideas; they were the same old ideas rejected over and over. However, when God speaks a divine "Yes," no human judgment can stand in opposition.
So, if you find yourself in the quiet ache of waiting, do not despair. Trust God’s process. Stay in prayer. Persist in action. For when God’s time arrives, He makes things beautiful (Ecclesiastics 3:11). It will unfold with precision and power that no human effort could manufacture, and it will be worth the wait. Finally, to wait is not to waste time, but to be shaped by it, trusting that what is delayed is not denied when God’s Grace governs the clock.
Matt Asare, PhD, MPH, MBA, CHES
Associate Professor
Department of Public Health