How Location and Time Shape Our Lives

There are paths in every person's life that only God understands. Your life and my life cannot be explained from start to finish. Destiny is not a straight path. Dr Tony Evans once said, "You can be walking with God on a highway, and He suddenly makes a bend on you." Those bends are called detours. Some of them include:

1. Unexplainable delays when you thought everything would happen within six months because you prayed and got a message from God.
2. Unexplainable lack of a spouse, even after you were told God would send your spouse early.
3. Unexplainable loss of a job you believed God had given you.
4. Unexplainable betrayal from a child that God promised would be your joy in old age.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” , Romans 8:28

These detours and sudden changes show one simple truth: Destiny is not straightforward. It is not a straight line. There are hidden connections you cannot see. There are even clear connections you can see but cannot fully understand. All of this tells you that there is Someone behind the scenes, who knows how to direct your life. His name is God.

He is the Greatest Dot Connector

Look at these Biblical examples of men and women who faced various challenges. In the end, their destinies came together.

1. Joseph had a dream of greatness in Genesis 37:5, 10, but he faced many delays and detours he could not understand. In the end, God connected all the dots in Genesis 41:9 and his destiny made sense.
2. Abraham’s hope for a promised child in Genesis 15:4 was filled with many challenges he could not grasp. In Genesis 21:1, God connected all the dots, and his destiny became clear.
3. David’s dream of kingship, after being anointed by Samuel in 1 Samuel 16, was filled with battles and delays he could not understand. But in 2 Samuel 2:4, his destiny made sense.
4. Think of Ruth, Esther, and others. Saul's story in 1 Samuel 9 shows how strange events connected. A lost donkey led to a search, which took him to four cities. He failed in all four, not knowing that God was guiding him to become king.

God connects four major dots in unique ways to fulfill His plans for us. These dots may seem ordinary, but they require strong insight, prayer, obedience, and humility to connect. God is working behind the scenes in these four dots: location, time, people, and resources.

The Dot of Location

The first dot is LOCATION. We have talked about this many times, but God is not finished yet. We will keep discussing and praying about it as long as we can. How does God connect our destinies through location? First, locations are not just about geography. They come in many forms.

1. Spiritual location: You must be in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
2. Physical/geographic location: These also have deep spiritual meaning (Deuteronomy 16:16).
3. Marital location: Where God places you in marriage.
4. Positional location: Your level in God and in life.
5. Calling/career location: Jesus told Peter, “From today, you will catch men.” (Luke 5:10)

All these locations form a spiritual map for your life. When God wants to reach you, He sends His angels to your spiritual, marital, physical, career, calling, and positional locations.

For example, in Luke 1:26, Mary had to be in Nazareth to carry baby Jesus. Nazareth was a small, poor town. If Mary moved to Bethlehem, she would miss her chance. Daniel had to be in Babylon to receive great visions. Joseph had to be in Egypt as a slave to fulfill his destiny. Paul had to go to Macedonia to spread the gospel in Europe.

These locations were not picked randomly. God connected their locational dots.

This is why in Matthew 2:4, Herod was searching for WHERE Jesus was born. Satan pays attention to your location, either by keeping you in the wrong place or pulling you from the right one. Many destinies have been harmed because of this.

“And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.” , Matthew 2:4

What to do to make God connect the dots of your location

1. You must be saved and in Christ, that is non-negotiable.
2. You must always pray about your location before making big choices.
3. You must not view a location only with natural eyes, no matter the challenges or advantages.
4. When things are hard in a location (not marriage), you must pray and seek guidance before moving (Genesis 26:1, 3).
5. You must be humble; humility saved Saul in 1 Samuel 9:5 from leaving a location that was meant for his glory.

If you follow these steps, you have submitted your will to God to connect the dots of your location. You will not miss your divine position.

Practical Examples among Christian Professionals

Many Christian professionals share how divine location shaped their lives.

1. Dr Ola Brown, a medical doctor, obeyed God's prompt to move temporarily to the UK. That decision helped her return and create Africa’s first air ambulance service.
2. Dr Chioma Opara, a public health specialist, moved from Lagos to Ottawa. This change opened doors to global health roles she could not have reached otherwise.
3. Bishop Dag Heward-Mills found his calling while in medical school, a place that led to a worldwide ministry.

Practical Application

Treat decisions about moving as spiritual matters, not just career changes. Before accepting a job abroad or relocating, ask: “Lord, is this my Nazareth or my Egypt?” Stay spiritually alert; your breakthrough might not be in the fanciest city, but in the one God has chosen for you.

The Dot of Time

We have discussed the dot of location. Now, let’s look at the dot of time. The Bible clearly speaks about time and seasons.

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” , Ecclesiastes 3:1

The twists and turns of life often affect time; we feel like we are wasting away. We complain and worry about age. But if you are a child of God, and you love Him and are in His purpose, God is the one who controls time. He decides when things happen.

Just like a football referee can add or pause time for different reasons, that is how God works. Your time is not in your hands. Here is what God says about who controls time:

“My times are in Your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.” , Psalm 31:15

Romans 8:28 and Psalm 31:15 tell us that the dot of time is a powerful tool in only one Person’s hands, not Satan, not friends, not family, not a wicked boss, but God. He is using time to place you where He wants you.