Have you ever found yourself wanting something to happen right now, but it seems to take longer than expected?

Well, I sure have. We live in a world of instant gratification. Just take a quick look around and you’ll see fast food restaurants, drive-thru pharmacies, quick remedies for weight loss and the “quick draw McGraw” of news…the internet. Isn’t it amazing how addicted we are to instant things? It really becomes prevalent when you have to wait in a checkout line at the grocery store and you realize just how impatient you are to get out of there; even if you don’t have anywhere else to go.

When time is of the essence and you have absolutely no understanding of what is happening; the most important thing you can do is have PATIENCE! It is certainly one of the hardest lessons to learn. Yet, it is one of the most crucial in your daily walk with God.

Here’s why…In James 1:2-4, God is very specific why we must learn patience.

“Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.  Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.  But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfectly and fully developed, lacking in nothing.”

In other words, God is telling us that we should rejoice in difficult situations, knowing that God tests our faith to bring out patience. During trials, all kinds of junk are brought to the surface. Things like anger, rebellion, self-pity, complaining and pride. It is so important to deal with this stuff so that God can take us to the next level.

So, let’s put it in a step-by-step process:

1. Trials come and we face all the “icky” stuff
2. This in turns helps us develop Patience
3. Patience helps us develop Endurance
4. Endurance creates a mature character
5. A mature character brings us to absolutely nothing lacking within our lives.

Let’s face it…most of us have absolutely no clue what God is up to when He calls us. But one thing for certain is that He knows the end from the beginning. Ecclesiastes 7:8 reminds us, “Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patience in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” And Galatians 6:9 tells us, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

So, I don’t know about you but the ending sure sounds better than the beginning. It doesn’t matter how long we have to wait, it is far more rewarding to wait on the Lord’s timing because His timing is perfect and the outcome will exceed all of our expectations.

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