by Dr. D Ivan Young, ICF Master Certified Coach
The definition of divine timing is the belief that everything in your life happens at exactly the right time.
Is divine timing real?
Yes.
My decades on this planet have taught me that divine timing is far superior to any plan we could ever make for ourselves. I’ve seen divine timing work for myself and my clients.
Whether you’re religious or not, it’s working in your life. Your life path becomes much clearer once you stop trying to fight it. Think about it, when has trying to force things ever worked?
If you want to live a fulfilling life, you must learn to embrace divine timing.
I’ll be the first to admit that this concept may not always align with your itinerary. But trust that it’ll lead you to where you need to be.
So, factor it in, and watch as the highs become even more rewarding and the lows become more manageable.
The Belief in Divine Timing and Mental Health
You’ve heard of the power of positive thinking. It’s not just a woo-woo magical practice.
Empirical evidence supports this notion, with one study highlighting the correlation between well-being and belief¹. The study sought to explore the effects of religious beliefs concerning divine intervention. Nevertheless, a secular interpretation of divine timing can also positively impact your life.
The research findings indicate that belief fosters a greater sense of purpose and meaning in one’s life.
Another study provided some evidence that belief in divine control can serve as a buffer to stress among educated individuals².
Divine timing is one form of positive thinking, even though life isn’t always positive.
It’s believing that no matter what happens, there’s something you can learn. It’s accepting that everything in your life happened when it was meant to, making you who you are today.
While it’s difficult to prove the direct relationship between health and belief in divine timing, maintaining beliefs that support your purpose helps you stay motivated and leads to better outcomes.
If you’re willing to allow divine timing to play a role in your daily life, you’ll likely feel less pressure, more gratitude, and less stress about your future.
Divine Timing in Your Life
Believing in divine timing can help you stay focused on what you can and need to do to increase the likelihood of your desired results.
This applies to all aspects of your life.
Divine Timing in Relationships
You might have heard people say things like “I knew I was waiting for my soulmate”.
Hindsight is twenty-twenty, so it’s easy for people to say this after they’ve already met their dream partner. But what if you haven’t?
If your goal is to get married, find a long-term committed relationship, or have a family, it can be hard to accept the idea of divine timing. We often have our own timelines for life events like these.
But what happens when you don’t trust the process and try to rush into something to speed it up?
When you ignore divine timing in relationships, it usually looks something like:
- A divorce since one of you isn’t ready or you aren’t good for each other, but you wanted to be married and have a family anyway.
- A needless breakup because you tried to rush things along, even though it was going well.
- Feeling lonely in a relationship.
- Knowing you deserve better, but staying because you want everything to work out with someone who’s wrong for you.
- Your children turning into the victims of your impatience.
If you let divine timing do its thing while focusing on your goals and dating with a purpose, you’re much more likely to find what you’re looking for. Your relationships will be better and more sustainable.
Divine Timing in Your Career
You want that big promotion or raise. You’ve worked for it, and your boss has acknowledged your work and potential. But someone else was promoted. You didn’t receive a raise this time.
Or maybe you’ve started your business. They say “Build it and they’ll come”, but nobody has. Your business is stagnating, and you’re worried you might have to throw in the towel.
Bottom line — you’re not where you want to be.
I get it.
I’m not saying to only rely on divine timing in your professional life, especially because you might need to find a different job and you might thrive under a different boss. But when you know you’re appreciated, and your work isn’t going unnoticed, ask for feedback.
If the answer is more of a “not yet” than a “no”, then you owe it to yourself to keep working and trust divine timing.
You might be wondering how I can relate to this.
Divine Timing and My Unsuccessful Business
When I wasn’t aware of the power of divine timing in decision-making, here’s what happened.
In my late 20s, I wanted to open up my own club. It started with a bang, and it ended up imploding.
Sometimes, we experience intangible inclinations that give us a sense of direction. These can be interpreted as a green light, indicating that things are going well and that we’re in alignment with divine timing.
When things don’t happen as expected, there may be indications that the time, situation, or person you’re associating with isn’t suitable for you.
Being out of sync with divine timing typically doesn’t result in catastrophic consequences.
Instead, it often shows up as persistent, subtle, and possibly challenging emotions that constantly bother you, signaling that something is wrong.
Looking back with a deeper understanding of divine timing, I realize that the timing wasn’t right for me to run a business.
But I’ve skillfully applied the lessons learned from that experience to my personal growth journey, which ultimately allowed me to establish my successful coaching practice. These insights have contributed to the prosperity of my personal life as well.
Divine Timing Manifestation
You can’t control divine timing. That would go against its definition.
But there are several things you can do to work with divine timing. And when you do this, your life will seem much easier.
- Don’t get frustrated, get focused.
Write down your vision and what you need to do daily, weekly, and monthly to get there. Big things take time, so don’t expect overnight success.
Setbacks and redirections are not failures.
Sometimes what you want will take months, even years, to turn out how you want it to. Other times, it won’t turn out how you want it to, but there’s still something you’re meant to learn from the experience.
Don’t miss out on opportunities because you don’t respect the role of setbacks in divine timing.
- Determine what it would look like if everything did go your way.
There’s nothing wrong with visualization and manifestation. In fact, these are important steps when you’re working with divine timing.
The goal isn’t to sit back and let divine timing do all of the work. You must work to attract what you want.
You must still develop good habits, keep your “why” front and center, and work for what you want. But accepting that your timeline isn’t entirely up to you can help you stay motivated when you’re up against delays and setbacks.
They’re happening for a reason.
- Consider the costs to sustain your goals.
What does accomplishing your goal require? How much time, energy, and sacrifice do you have to put into it?
Sometimes, you don’t have all the boxes checked at one moment in time. This is when you must accept that divine timing is preventing you from draining your internal and external resources while giving you the opportunity to eliminate potential blind spots.
Ultimately, you must focus on what you want, work for it, and trust that it’ll happen when it’s supposed to happen.
Why is Divine Timing Important to Me, an ICF Master Certified Coach?
Sometimes we need to be reminded to slow down, appreciate what we have, and be excited about where we want to go without losing sight of where we are.
There’s no better reminder than divine timing.
As I said earlier, divine timing has played a huge role in my life. Through my personal relationships and professional goals, I’ve learned to trust in God and his timing for me.
I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t listened to what he was trying to tell me.
People that I thought would be in my life forever have walked out. I launched a business only to have to close it down. And I’ve battled health issues that have made me question everything I’ve ever known.
Whether you’re religious or not, surrendering to divine timing can help you get focused, find your gratitude, and accomplish your goals when they’re meant to be.
If you feel hopeless or lost and need advice and encouragement like this more often, sign up for my email list. I’m here for you and I want you to have what you need.
Bio – Dr. D Ivan Young is an expert on human behavior and relationships. He’s a Master Credentialed expert on personality type, an ICF credentialed Master Certified Coach, a Certified Professional Diversity Coach, and a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. Dr. Young is also a member of the prestigious Forbes Coaches Council.