Waiting

Waiting for something, like the beginning of an event or for another person to arrive, can be difficult. This can be due to a sense of uncertainty or because of an indeterminate time element. If you’re waiting for something you wish would take place (but are uncertain of it actually happening), then you are bombarded with feelings of frustration. Circumstance seem to work against you, and what you are looking forward to retreats farther into the distance. If you’re waiting for something you know is coming, like Christmas, a birthday or a vacation, there seems to be an immense amount of time between you and the event.  Anxiety or worry can irritate you, changing your otherwise pleasant demeanor into one of griping and complaining at the slowness of time.

Either way, your behavior (and sometimes your health)  is affected and all your relationships suffer as you take out your frustrations on others around you. Friends, neighbors and family all seem to give the same advice because it is really the only solution the world can offer. Even though it is shallow and ineffective, everyone still tells you to “be patient.” You count to ten, or take a deep breath, but patience is hard to practice for more than a few moments and the anxiety and frustration soon mount to new heights!

Though the Bible speaks of patience, and even urges us to practice it, the concept is diametrically opposite to the way the world practices patience. In fact, Biblical patience – and the longsuffering mentioned as a “fruit” of the presence of the Holy Spirit – is more akin to the idea of perseverance.  The context and application of that instruction equips us to rise above anxiety and worry. The result is that while we are waiting we can walk in the kind of peace God desires to permeate our lives with.

Patience in God’s Kingdom is not just waiting patiently. Rather, it’s perseverance that engages us in activity; activity that not only changes our attitude but actually works to usher into reality the very thing we need. That’s why God reminds us that we need “faith and patience” in order to “inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:11-12).

The activity of perseverance allows us the privilege of participation with the living God to bring real answers to real problems!

How exciting to be His people,

Pastor David Vanderpool