Do I have to wait?

The definition of patience is to stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or until something else happens.  We live in a world where we always want the latest new things. The internet and cell phones allow us to always have access, and with two-day shipping, we don’t have to wait. We live in a society where a lot of things are on-demand and accessible 24/7.  

We often don’t have to wait or if we do it’s not for long. While some things are nice not to have to wait for, others it is perfectly ok to have to wait. We need to learn to wait and have patience. We wait for the mail to come each day or for a telephone call from someone.  We have to wait on road trips to reach our destinations. Waiting, depending on what it is for, can lead to big rewards. 

My kids definitely know how to wait. They don’t always get everything right away. Living in the country, there aren’t any big stores around to go shopping at, so sometimes we have to make do with what we have and wait until we get to town.  Having to wait teaches them to be resilient and respectful, and also to be patient. 

While we wait and practice patience, there is much we can do. When we have those spare moments of waiting, we can sit and listen. Listen or talk to God and wait patiently for his response. 

Contributed by Carrie Guthmiller