Divine Timing and Human Choice
The concept of the divine schedule reflects the view that the works and deeds of the Lord unfold within a pre-established yet actively implemented divine plan. According to this understanding, from the very beginning, God set a scheme (schedule) in which every event and every manifestation of nature is drawn from its potential state into actuality at its appointed time. At the same time, the divine plan is not a mechanical predetermination: it is realized through a combination of several forces, among which the personal element and human freedom stand out. As noted in one source, "history is a choice, it is a personal encounter between a person and God. That which God intends for the world, a person, by free will, can either accept or reject" (source: link txt). Thus, even though the schedule is fixed, the unfolding of events depends on whether a person agrees to act in accordance with God's will.Furthermore, there is the aspect that when a person follows God's will, the natural-cosmic laws begin to mirror this providential impulse, embodying in reality what the Lord has determined. This is confirmed by another quote: "God, having predestined all things from eternity, brings each of them from its potential state into actuality in its own time and, in His unknowable purposes, governs all the existence of the world, altering the manifestations of His design according to the disposition of those upon whom the plan is enacted..." (source: link txt). This passage emphasizes that the highest purpose of the plan is the restoration of unity with God, where every element of the universe is directed towards returning to the source.Thus, the significance of the concept of the divine schedule lies in its fusion of the idea of a pre-established plan with real historical activity, where man, endowed with free will, can either contribute to the implementation of this plan or oppose it. By choosing to align with God's will, a person becomes an active participant in divine house-building, through which the heavenly design is brought to life in history.Supporting citation(s):"God’s providential action in history is carried out through three forces, but predominantly through the personal element, through human freedom. History is a choice, it is a personal meeting between a person and God. That which God intends for the world, a person, by free will, can either accept or reject it. When a person acts in accordance with God's will, the natural-cosmic element also obeys this providential impulse and, in accordance with the laws assigned to it, begins to embody into historical flesh what has been determined for the world by God." (source: link txt)"God, having predestined all things from eternity, brings each of them from its potential state into actuality in its own time and, in His unknowable purposes, governs all the existence of the world, altering the manifestations of His providence according to the disposition of those for whom it is intended and, when necessary, in accordance with the plans of divine house-building, miraculously renewing the laws of nature. The highest purpose of providence is the return to God of everything that has departed from Him, the deification of creation through union with God." (source: link txt)