Psalm 31:15: “My times are in Your hand.
Have you ever felt like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish everything you need to get done? You look at the clock, look at your list of responsibilities, and wonder how in the world you’re going to squeeze it all in. Yet David declares something remarkable in Psalm 31:15: “My times are in Your hand.” Think about that for a moment. Not just our days, but our times are in His hands. If that’s true, why do we sometimes find ourselves trapped in this cyclone of time compression?
I found myself right in the middle of that trap yesterday. I was trying to resolve an issue with an online service we’re using to build our publishing company’s website. What should have been a relatively simple process turned into one frustration after another. First, I couldn’t get things to work properly, and then, when I called customer service, I found myself talking to an AI assistant that couldn’t seem to understand what I needed.
Now, here’s the irony. I recently wrote another devotion about AI alignment and how important it is to remain aligned with the assignment our Creator has given us. And here I was, practically arguing with artificial intelligence! Eventually, I managed to get an actual human being on the phone, but unfortunately, that person wasn’t adequately trained to walk me through the solution either.
By this point, I was getting hotter and hotter. I was frustrated, exhausted, and, quite frankly, yelling at my phone. Suddenly, I realized just how ungodly my attitude had become. I finally hung up, sat there, and had to collect myself. What in the world was I doing?
Years ago, I heard Graham Cooke share something that has stayed with me ever since. He said that whenever he becomes overwhelmed, he physically takes a step backward as a prophetic gesture of stepping back into God. I love that picture. Instead of allowing circumstances to push us further into frustration, we deliberately step back into the presence and peace of the Holy Spirit.
That’s exactly what I needed to do yesterday.
You see, I had just come through one of the busiest weeks of the year. We had compressed nearly four weeks’ worth of work into three. I was physically tired, hadn’t been eating properly, wasn’t drinking enough water, and still had responsibilities waiting for me that evening. All those little variables had accumulated until I was running on empty. And unfortunately, my daughter heard me venting my frustration from the other room. I later went to her and apologized because I knew my behavior wasn’t reflecting the character of Christ.
This morning, during my prayer time, I found myself repenting again. Lord, I’m sorry. I allowed the pressure of what I was trying to accomplish to become more important than the peace You had already provided.
And then came that gentle question from the Holy Spirit: “Did you ask Me how to get through this?”
Well, no. No, I hadn’t.
Isn’t that something? We can spend hours trying to solve a problem, exhausting every resource available to us, and never stop to ask the One who already knows the answer. Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Notice that it says in all your ways. That includes building websites, dealing with customer service, managing responsibilities, and even navigating those unexpected interruptions that seem to consume our day.
Lamentations 3:22–23 reminds us that His mercies are new every morning and that great is His faithfulness. What a wonderful reminder that our lives aren’t supposed to be governed by the tyranny of a ticking clock but by our trust in the One who holds our times in His hands.
Sometimes the solution isn’t going to arrive when we want it. Sometimes the answer is to simply stop, step back, and trust God. Yesterday, the website problem didn’t get resolved, but that’s all right. I’ll approach it again today, hopefully with a much better attitude! Because I know the assignment God has given me, and I trust Him to provide the wisdom and direction necessary to accomplish it.
Psalm 37:23 declares, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way.” The real danger of the time compression trap isn’t necessarily that we run out of time. It’s that we allow the pressure of time to rob us of our peace, distort our perspective, and distract us from the very One who orders our steps.
So the next time you feel that cyclone beginning to spin, remember to step back in God. Take a moment to acknowledge Him before you take another step. After all, if He’s directing our paths, shouldn’t we be asking Him for directions?
Let’s pray.
Father, I pray for my friends today, that they wouldn’t become trapped in the pressures and demands of time but would learn to rest in Your faithfulness. Lord, teach us to trust You with all our hearts and not lean on our own understanding. Whether we’re building a website, navigating difficult circumstances, or simply trying to accomplish everything before us, remind us to acknowledge You in all our ways. Thank You, Father, that our steps are ordered by You, that Your mercies are new every morning, and that You are faithful to complete the work You’ve called us to do. Help us remain aligned with Your assignment, walking in Your peace rather than striving in our own strength. We trust You with our time, our responsibilities, and our lives, knowing that You are positioning us for Your purposes and the abundant life You’ve promised. In Jesus’ name, amen.