Patience feels impossible because we are living in a time when expediency is idolized. How fast can this product be delivered? How quickly can I complete this task? What shortcuts can I take? How can I speed this up? Just tell me the answer because I don’t want to search. 

Same day delivery.

Instant replies.

Express passes.

TV on demand.

Self check out.

Order ahead.

High speed internet.

Growth is rushed, not enjoyed. Maturity is forced, not learned. Time is skipped, not appreciated. The process is skipped, not savored. So- the fruit is small and sour, not significant and sweet.

The fruit of waiting is endurance. Patience grows when we endure things that are uncomfortable. Uncomfortability forces us to wrestle and question. Uncomfortability shines a light on our flawed perspectives. Uncomfortability leaves ample room for errors to be learned from. Uncomfortability produces muscles of patience for future trials. And those muscles are only exercised in the testing of our trust in the One who holds all things perfectly at once. 

The fruit of waiting is evident in the buds of flowers that needed time to grow. They needed to exercise dependence on the sun. They needed to trust in the gardener for nourishment. They needed to grow taller and stronger against the winds. They needed to deepen their roots. 

The fruit of waiting is a full and vibrant bloom. A bloom that brings glory to the One who made it. A bloom that says waiting was worth it.

The promise of waiting:

“I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

The fruit of waiting:

“I waited patiently for the Lord, and he turned to me and heard my cry for help. He brought me up from a desolate pit out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.” Psalm 40:1-2