Patience.
In today’s world, vastly more technologically advanced than any other previous version, this has become a dirty word. What value is there in waiting when I can do it now, especially if now is when I want it?? I don’t have to wait on food, don’t have to wait until marriage to have sex; shoot, you can become a doctor and a preacher online, now. Why wait for what I can create?? Because if not connected to The CREATOR, what you create can kill you.
In a society that deems the “process” as nothing more than a trending hashtag, value has been lost in the details, the specifics, which speaks expressly to the general lack of character in individuals we come in contact with. Relationships are instant, now, thanks largely to social media’s exposing of the evil in our hearts that desire a “friend-for-hire”, strings-attached model of interaction. Because GOD and HIS will are not considered in our peopling, we’ve espoused a “for a season” instead of a “for a reason” mindset. Instant gratification. Get out of them what they’re good at and keep anything unrelated at arm’s length. And we wonder why our emotional health and ability to adequately express ourselves suffer continual regression. Like for like=underdeveloped, unvetted, unequipped, unequally yoked.
“Let patience have her perfect work, that you might be thorough and entire, lacking nothing…” James 1:4
Lost amongst the “I-want-it-now” dispensation advocacy is the fact that patience prepares. How do you know you’re able to handle what you’ve prayed for if you’ve not been preparing while you’re praying?? It’s one of the reasons GOD, many times, doesn’t just give us what we want when we want it. Yes, yes: HE’ll give us the desires of our hearts, but the scripture says when we first delight ourselves in HIM (Psa.37:4), which includes not only being ok with but actually embracing, GOD’s timing, fully assured that HE knows what’s best for us.
Wait for it.
The process has a way of weeding out certain things, affirming others. Impure motives, generally, don’t stand the test of time; eventually, in one way or another, what’s at the heart of the ask is going to be revealed, whether willingly or begrudgingly. It’s one of the reasons waiting on the LORD is vital, especially as it pertains to relationships (particularly marriage, here). GOD knows things about them that even time and proximity may never reveal (and in some instances, when time and proximity attempt to do their jobs, they are thwarted and prevented from doing so by both time and proximity as a result of familiarity – by the time you see what’s really there, or been there all along, you won’t want to see it due the comfort level you’ve acquired). Patience also teaches appreciation, so that once you get it, you won’t waste it (if you waited the right way, which is a whole ‘nother surrender for a whole ‘nother time). Request granted, instantly, are usually depreciated quickly, as the goal obtained is done moreso by than through, as in how I got it as opposed to what I went through and endured to get it. Subsequently, patience personified can endear one in the hearts of others, resulting in trust and celebration of an individual who waited and did things the right way until GOD did it, moreso than that granted the individual who did it or became it, overnight. Other people can appreciate your patience.
Wait on the LORD.
Two things my Pastor has always said that individuals do prematurely: get married and get into ministry. Scripture admonishes us to wait on both (Song of Solomon 8:4, Rom.12:7), but again, thanks to society’s invasion into holy things we’ve allowed, we’ve lost the value of waiting, have renounced the value in waiting, and therefore don’t attribute a proper value to waiting. That’s unfortunate, because out of that perfect work that patience, when permitted, performs, it produces. She reproduces. There’s a lot of what we have that we don’t fully enjoy simply because we didn’t (we don’t) wait.
According to the Bible, patience is something that needs to be added to our faith (2 Pet.1:5-8); it’s one thing to believe GOD in a moment, but can I believe GOD in all the moments between my request and HIS response?? Trust is the result of faith that’s been tried, but we never arrive at trusting GOD if we’ve never waited patiently on HIM. In this vernacular, it’s not only good things that come to those who wait but more importantly, GOD things that come to those who wait. While Martha rushed around the house to get done what, in her mind, needed to be, Mary chose to sit at JESUS’ feet, choosing, what JESUS referred to as, the good part, which wouldn’t be taken away from her (Luke 10:38-42). There are times we won’t know what GOD is saying to do if all we’re doing is what we know to do. It’s ok to wave the white flag to the LORD, surrender, and wait on HIM. HE’s doing things while HE’s doing things. Wait, I say, on the LORD.
Be patient.
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