Waiting is hard. And we’re less likely to endure when we don’t have hope we will eventually get what we’re waiting on. It’s this basic trust that allows us to wait patiently.
Young children have not yet learned patience. For instance, they tend to demand immediate satisfaction when they’re hungry. And they will cry and wail until they’re fed. As adults, we’ve lived enough to trust we will eventually eat, even when there’s a delay in our next meal. And, as such, we’re better able to wait. We’re still hungry. But our confidence that food is coming empowers us to wait patiently.
And it’s this same basic trust we need in order to grow in patience throughout our life and relationships.
Patience is often needed as we pray for the desires of our heart to be fulfilled. And like a young child, we’re often very upset and demanding when there’s not quick satisfaction. It is hard to wait with unfulfilled desires. And we’re prone to grasp at whatever we can get without a hope and trust in God – taking matters into our own hands rather than waiting on God’s best.
From our limited perspective, there’s no point in waiting and denying ourselves when there’s no confidence our desires will actually be fulfilled. It’s not until we grow in our trust of God that we can wait patiently on his perfect timing.
We’re not any less hungry for what we desire. But we’re learning to trust his goodness and rest in his provision. And this allows us to endure our ache patiently knowing he will come through for us.
A struggle with patience often reveals a struggle with trust.
Grow in patience by growing in trust. It’s much easier to wait on God’s timing when you trust him completely.
Photo by Anthony Tori on Unsplash
