Being Patient

When I saw today's prompt (patient) it made me laugh. Because of all the topics that we could have,
this is one that I have probably struggled with the most. I think if we are honest, this is one that we all struggle with quite a bit. Who wants to be patient? Who likes to be patient? We live in a world where it is my way, right now, or 5 minutes ago. Waiting is hard, being patient is even harder.

But, can I let you in on a little secret? Something that I have learned in my 43 years on this earth?

Things worth waiting for are WORTH IT.

Let me say it louder for those in the back or who are skimming and  want the highlights, the things in this life that we have to wait for are worth the wait.

Don't believe me?

Let me give you a few examples:

A spouse, a family, children, a new house, a car, a job promotion, friends, babies learning to crawl, then walk, then talk, your child learning to read and write, your child's first crush, first dance, first date, first time driving...

Waiting for marriage before being intimate? WORTH IT. Yeah, I went there. Imagine a dating relationship for months or years without introducing intimacy. Now, imagine the honeymoon and getting to know your spouse on another level, so, totally worth it.

Now, imagine that dating relationship with intimacy. Yea, I have no doubt it is fun and interesting. However, imagine the honeymoon finally comes...it's just the same old thing you have been doing, and because you have been building this part of your relationship you were probably not as focused on other areas of your relationship, like communication.

Why is it worth being patient and not rushing ahead in the relationship? Because good things come to those who wait, and you can be building the communication side of the relationship and not the physical part., both are important in a marriage, but if one needs to be stronger than the other, it is communication. That is what you will fall back on in hard times, when they come.

Another scenario: imagine being married and finally getting pregnant with the baby that you have always wanted. What happens if you are not patient and try to have the baby sooner than 9 months? We get an underdeveloped baby with all kinds of health issues, depending on when you have it. What happens when you are patient and wait? You get a healthy baby and hopefully have been spending those 9 months mentally preparing yourself to be a parent and the child's room to be ready for its occupant.

Another example...What happens when we force our children to grow up too soon? They lose their childhood. It is worth being patient and enjoying the stages that they are at, rather than forcing them to grow up too fast and take on responsibility before they are ready for it. If we wait we end up with more well-rounded children who are able and willing to take on responsibility because they have had a childhood.

One final example/question: What happens when we rush into things without taking the time to be patient and think it through? I can't answer that for you, but I typically end up making a mistake, taking on too much, or regretting the decision. Sometimes there is a way out, and sometimes you have to deal with the consequences of the choice.

I can think of so many things that we rush into because we are so impatient and I am sure that you can too. How many times can you say rushing and impatience have been the better decisions? How many things can you think of where being patient, waiting, and praying got the better result?

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.  You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. James 5:7-8