I can’t count the times I’ve been asked, “Why are you always in such a hurry?” It’s no secret to those who know me that I struggle with having patience, and if the definition of patience is waiting without complaint, that definitely counts me out! I know I know, it’s said that patience is a virtue. But is it so wrong with wanting things to be done quickly? And what’s so great about waiting anyway? Throughout the Bible we are told to wait on the Lord. But what exactly does that mean, and why is it so important?
In today’s society of instant gratification, waiting seems like a foreign concept. And although convenience can be a good thing, we have to make sure that we don’t become spoiled, demanding, and expecting that same convenience in our spiritual lives. If we aren’t careful, we can find ourselves treating God like a worker at a fast food drive-thru. We place our order and then expect to have it immediately fulfilled. But God doesn’t follow anyone’s timetable but His own. And trusting Him means trusting that the Lord acts, “in behalf of the one who waits for Him.” (Is. 64:4)
King David knew the importance of patience and waiting on the Lord. He both begins and ends Psalm 27:14 by saying, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.” David trusted that God knew his every need and greatest desire, just as He does with us, and would deliver exactly what he needed at the perfect time. Whether it be immediately, or delayed in coming, David had confidence in the love of the Lord and in His promises. For as Lamentations 3:25 tells us, “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.”
But waiting on the Lord doesn’t mean sitting around wringing our hands and biding our time. Rather waiting on the Lord means trusting in confident anticipation that He will take action. And in the mean time we are to keep serving Him while we patiently wait for His answer and His actions. Matthew 6:33 tells us that before doing anything, we should "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness”. Seeking Him can mean pushing forward in the direction in which we are confident He is leading us, or it can mean staying put until He tells us to move. In each case God blesses us when we give up our own agenda and seek His will in His timing.
So what if you’re like me and patience is something you struggle with? We all have our sins to bear and the truth is, impatience is a sin. Although we may truly love God, impatience and an unwillingness to wait on Him shows a lack of complete faith in the Lord and His perfect plans. But thankfully, God loves us in spite of our shortcomings. And even better, He provides the tools to overcome whatever sin keeps us from experiencing our very best life. He does this by giving us the gift of the Holy Spirit. And one of the purposes of the Spirit is to conform us into the image of Jesus, making us more like Him.
In 2 Thessalonians 3:5 Paul prays, “May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.“ There could be no better example of patience than Jesus Himself. From the moment He left His throne in Heaven to come as a Sacrifice for all, He patiently endured suffering, rejection, temptation, ridicule, and heartache. And now He sits at the right hand of the Father patiently waiting to reign as the King He is, forever.
So although patience isn’t my strong suit, because it is a virtue of Christ I will gladly work on it every day until I can claim victory! I am a work in progress and take comfort knowing that God loves me as much at my very worst as He does at my very best . And until the triumphant return of my Lord, or my calling home to Heaven, I will put my trust in Jesus, resting in the Lord and waiting patiently for Him! (Ps. 37:7)
