In this era of microwaves, Amazon, Netflix, and the like, I believe patience is fast eluding this generation. Think about it; your food can be ready in seconds; your purchase is only a single or couple of clicks or taps away, maybe even with same day delivery; your favourite shows are instantly available on demand for you to stream, I mean who even remembers actually having to WAIT every week for the next episode of your favourite shows to air on TV? Tap, tap, tap, and BAM, you can have almost anything you want within your possession or ready for consumption in little to no time at all. So, wonderful as it is, technology with its easy access and convenience has produced a generation of humans who struggle with waiting; patience has become foreign and unnecessary in many ways.
I strongly believe that this technology-induced impatience affects not only day to day life, but also matters of faith among Christians. This generation of Christians probably struggles the most with waiting on God. After all, waiting and faith are already difficult concepts on their own, but mix that into an era full of convenience and instant access and it becomes near impossible. This generation, and I have been guilty of this too, often treats God like a vending machine or microwave; just pop in the request and the answer should come out immediately. However, we would do well to remember that God’s timing exists outside of ours. Just look at Abraham, Joseph, and King David in the Bible, for example. Each one received a promise, yet they did not see it fulfilled until many years later, or even before death in one case.
Quick musing:
I am deeply inspired by the accounts of people like Abraham, Joseph, Hannah, David (the list could go on), who each had to wait long periods, and beyond death in Abraham’s case, before they saw the fruition of the desires of their heart or promises they had received, and yet still WAITED on God. They kept expecting. This faith that transcends the passage of time is something we should all strive to possess. I find myself asking if my faith could persevere like theirs…
I am not trying to say God’s promises always take eons to be fulfilled, but rather, I want to remind us all that some promises do take time; same day shipping, let alone delivery, is not always guaranteed. Plus, God is not your personal genie, you can’t just snap your fingers and demand answers from Him. Our approach to requests from God should always be one of humility, and understanding that His will stands above all, which means the answer may not come as you expect.
Remembering this, along with the fact that God is trustworthy and never lies, will help quell the doubts, frustrations and squirms of impatience that well up inside us whenever we’re waiting on promises, dreams or desires to come to fruition. We would also do well to develop an awareness of the “easy access” era in which we live. With this awareness, we can quickly recognise when excessive amounts of impatience crop up within us; perhaps God isn’t taking as long as you think, but as you’re not used to waiting for anything anymore, your perception of the timing could be distorted. If He has said it, He will do it. Whatever dream or promise He gave you WILL come to pass.
Final thoughts
I challenge all of us to focus more on faith and trust, rather than timing, and also make it a mission to actively practise patience. What could this look like? Well, practising patience can be as simple as, for example, choosing the longer delivery window for a purchase even if it’s eligible for same or next day delivery. I, for one, noticed that I had fallen into a bad habit of opting to get things delivered speedily even when I wouldn’t need to use the item for a considerable amount of time, and so there really was no reason to rush the delivery. While there’s nothing wrong with speedy delivery, my opting for it in these scenarios was as a result of my acute displeasure for waiting even when I could afford to. So, to curb this bad habit, I now deliberately choose a longer window for non-urgent purchases even when I have shorter options.
It seems basic, but tiny decisions like this can add up to build a habit of patience, helping us resist the desire for instant gratification and strengthening our ability to wait. By practising patience, we will have more stamina for waiting on those dreams and promises that take just a little bit longer. And remember, the strength to wait is available to us through God, who offers it to us freely so that we can keep holding on.
But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31
xoxo
Kemi's Bubble 
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