A question that constantly haunts the widow.

A question that can render you speechless, breathless.

A question that never goes away.

It comes and goes as long as we carry our grief with us.

When is the right time to say goodbye?

When is the right time to tell the world?

When is the right time to pack away their clothes?

When is the right time to turn off their phone? To never hear their voicemail again?

When is the right time to throw away literal trash, but trash that feels strangely important because it’s one of many in a long list of lasts?

When is the right time to go back to work?

When is the right time to go back to church?

When is the right time to date again?

When is the right time to delete our texts that take up so much storage?

When is the right time to move from the home you shared?

When is the right time to delete the hidden photos on my phone that captured the hardest, darkest days?

When is the right time to start therapy?

When is the right time to stop therapy?

When is the right time to stop old traditions?

When is the right time to start new traditions?

---

The more stories I listen to, the more life I live, the more I realize how there is no one right time.

Sometimes we rush when our heads are spinning but our hearts really needed us to wait.

Sometimes we wait so long we cement ourselves to the past and moving forward no longer feels possible.

Paired so often with the question of “when” is another question… “How long?”

How long will it hurt this bad?

How long do I have to wait?

How long do I need to wait?

How long until I laugh again?

How long until I see them again?

---

David asked the same question,

“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

BUT I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭‬‬

Jesus had all of the answers, He knew how it would all turn out, He was the one who set when the right time was and how long it would all take from the beginning of time itself. He still wept. He still asked the Father to take the cup away.

We do know that it is always the right time to come to Him, to come back to him. When we’re angry, when we have doubts, when we have questions, when we are overwhelmed, when we are overjoyed. We can trust that He is good and that He is there; even if neither feels true. We can share our stories, the good and bad parts, with the world. We can ask our questions as we rest in the safety, comfort, and peace of His righteous right hand. We can rejoice within our suffering knowing the Author of our stories and knowing of the victorious ending to come.