We don’t get everything we want, even when we wait patiently. Certainly, patience is a virtue. But sometimes our waiting is still in vain and we must discover a deeper hope.
Life is filled with many things we desire. And maturity reminds us of the need for delayed gratification. We often end up with something less than satisfying in the long run when we demand immediate satisfaction now.
And, to be sure, learning to wait allows us to live a fuller and freer life.
But waiting by itself doesn’t guarantee we will get everything we want. And this becomes a good recipe for despair.
For example, patiently working hard doesn’t come with the promise of professional success. Many businesses and entrepreneurial endeavors don’t make it despite one’s willingness to endure.
Taking the time to do our soul work and become better versions of ourselves also doesn’t make marriage a guarantee. Some will never marry even though this is their desire and they’ve waited patiently.
Likewise, this can be as simple as waiting in line only to discover everything is sold out once we get to the front. There’s not always enough to go around regardless of how long we’ve waited.
In the end, waiting is still subject to time and chance.
And this is hard to bear – to run a marathon without the satisfaction of crossing the finish line. And even more so when we must now run another race with no consideration of the first.
Naturally, our hearts are prone to despair in these moments and we must find a deeper hope – a hope that transcends the particulars of our desire.
This is not to give up our desires per se, but rather to gain a larger vision of how God might be fulfilling them.
Work, intimacy, and where we find joy, for instance, might look radically different than how we originally envisioned.
And this larger vision allows us to grieve what we don’t have now without losing hope that God is still moving us toward our ultimate fulfillment in him and all good things.
Even when it seems like your waiting is in vain, remember nothing is wasted with God. Deepen your hope and keep your heart open to all the good he has for you.
Photo by Rainier Ridaoon Unsplash
