“You say, ‘I choose the appointed time.’” Psalm 75:2

Timing is everything, whether it’s planting a garden or catching a flight.  And success often hinges on doing the right thing at the right time. Yet, when it comes to God’s plans, we often find ourselves impatient. It almost never happens on our timetable. We yearn for resolutions, breakthroughs, or justice—and we want it now.

But Christmas teaches us that God’s timing is perfect, even when it feels excruciatingly slow.

For 400 years, God’s people endured silence. From the closing words of Malachi to the angel’s proclamation to Zechariah, the Bible records no new revelation. Generations lived and died waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a Messiah. Can you imagine the weight of that waiting? The prayers uttered in darkness? The hope passed down from parent to child, wondering, when will Messiah come? Is this the time?

Yet, Galatians 4:4 tells us, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son.” Jesus came not a moment too early or too late, but precisely at the appointed time.

The Christmas story is steeped in waiting. Zechariah and Elisabeth, described as “righteous before God,” waited decades for a child, their hope dimming with each passing year. But at just the right moment, God broke through, blessing them with John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ.

Mary, a young woman with her own dreams and aspirations, was asked to carry the Savior of the world. From the angel’s announcement to the birth in Bethlehem, her journey was marked by waiting— waiting nine months for Jesus to be born, waiting for God to reveal his intentions to Joseph,  waiting through the awkwardness of public perception, and waiting to see how this child would redeem the world.

Even Simeon and Anna, two faithful servants of God, embody a posture of patient hope. Simeon waited his entire life to see the Messiah, and Anna worshipped and prayed in the temple for decades. Both were rewarded when they beheld the infant Jesus. Their long season of waiting culminated in a moment of indescribable joy. And then the Holy Family fled to Egypt and waited in a foreign land until King Herod died and it was safe to return to Israel.

Waiting is hard, isn’t it? And it’s getting harder.  Years ago, Pam and I wrote love letters when we were apart and it took days if not weeks for a reply to come.  Now, I text her and I’m annoyed when she doesn’t response within 2 minutes. We are conditioned for immediate results and anything less is unacceptable.  But impatience isn’t healthy for a marriage or for my relationship with God. God works on his own timeline, not mine.

We live in a microwave world and God often seems to work on a slow cooker schedule. But Christmas reminds us that waiting is not wasted. God works in the waiting. He uses time to grow our trust, refine our character, and align our hearts with His purposes. Just as the farmer waits for the harvest, trusting that the seeds he planted are growing beneath his feet, we too can trust that God is working beneath the surface of our lives. Waiting stretches our faith and teaches us to trust that our sovereign God is not just on time but perfectly on time.

If you’re in a season of waiting this Christmas, take heart. God’s silence doesn’t mean He’s absent. Just as He orchestrated the details of Christ’s first coming, He is working in your life with the same care and precision. His timing is not hurried by our impatience, nor is it delayed by our doubt. The One who sent His Son at the perfect time is the same One who holds your life in His hands.

So, this Christmas, remember that every detail of that first Christmas—every moment of waiting—was part of God’s perfect plan. Trust that your waiting, too, is held in His sovereign care. At the appointed time, He will act. And it will be worth the wait.

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 27:14