For most people, learning to be patient is a challenge. In today’s fast-paced society, we expect instant results and speedy service–from the promise of quick-fix fad diets to expedited shipping options when we buy something online. When we do not get immediate results, we become cranky and impatient.
Recently I encountered both the positive and negative effects that waiting can have on a crowd. While traveling home from a business trip, the pilot announced a possible mechanical problem with the plane. He explained that prior to departing, the mechanics would need to assess the situation.
Twenty minutes later we received great news, the plane was fine, and we were good to go–or so we thought. Once on the runway, the pilot then announced that we were behind several planes, and it would be over an hour before takeoff. This caused many to become frustrated.
For those of us who are impatient, a brief delay can seem long and troublesome. In the spiritual world, waiting requires practice and discipline. Waiting for a prayer to be answered or for God’s intervention can be trying. But what if we changed the way we think about waiting?
Instead of viewing a delay as a burden, what if we saw it as a time to practice submission? Some of my fellow plane passengers practiced submission by busying themselves with other activities such as reading and writing while we waited.
As we wait for answers, we can engage in continuous prayer, worship and other forms of spiritual discipline. During this process we gain self-discipline and tranquility.
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As Isaiah, the prophet, once said to the people of God during a difficult time, “But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.” There is much to be said about waiting as an act of submission to God. How do you practice waiting? Do you find it to be difficult at times? Please share.
God, teach me the spiritual discipline of waiting on You and for everyday living; grant me fresh energy to wait and live out my faith.
