A few years ago, I visited my Colorado-based extended family for Christmas and we excitedly planned a skiing day. We rented our equipment in the city, prepared both breakfast and lunch sandwiches the night before, and woke up incredibly early to arrive when the lifts opened. If you have skied before, you know that arrival is only the beginning of the journey. Parking, outfitting 10+ people, running them all through the bathroom, and putting on equipment takes time. And by the time we made it through the lift line to the top of the mountain, I was itching to zoom down, already feeling the wind striking my face and the fresh powder lapping at my skis. But as soon as we arrived at the top, one family member decided to go to the bathroom (again). We waited so we could begin the day together. As soon as they returned, a new family member (who shall not be named) had the gall to wait until the first was returning to declare “I also need to use the restroom,” inefficiently delaying our start further. In a fit of exasperation, I cried: “Waiting is stupid!” and zipped off to the first run. This handy little catchphrase entered family lore and is repeated anytime one of us feels even a little impatient.
Why do we find it so difficult to be patient? And why is patience so necessary that Paul calls it a fruit of the Spirit? Our modern world of instant gratification and easy access to fun provides ample opportunity to avoid practicing this character trait. We skip to the end of the novel to see how the story ends. We pay for Prime so our packages arrive sooner and we don’t have to take the time to go to the store. We zip down the mountain before we remember that we will just be waiting for everyone at the bottom of the mountain anyway. As I reflect on my own need for patience, the more I see how present the theme of patience is throughout the pages of Scripture.
Let’s begin in Genesis 2, in which God creates a beautiful space called the garden of Eden. Rather than complete the work with “He saw that it was good” (the constant refrain of Genesis 1), God sees that something (namely, the man being alone) is not good (Genesis 2:18). We can assume that God, in his divine sovereignty, is fully aware that the creation of a woman is required. Yet he orchestrates a dramatic scene where all sorts of creatures are developed and traipsed before the man. It can be easy, as modern readers of a few short verses, to forget the real-time suspense of this part of the story. As each new creature is formed and brought to the man, I picture the disappointment on his face as he names them and recognizes that they are unsuitable. How long must it have taken to introduce Adam to every living creature? And even once this work is done, God does not immediately create the woman; he causes a deep sleep to fall upon the man (2:21). Then God creates the woman. Then Adam awakens. Then God brings her to him. Finally, Adam utters the first song in Scripture: “This one, at last is bone of my bones…” (2:23, emphasis mine). With so many time-delaying activities present in these verses, even I’m cheering “at last!” with him! The tension present in the drawn out story is necessary for Adam to feel the grand resolve of the woman at his side. God’s timing required patience, but demonstrated how priceless and glorious his eventual answer will be.
Stories of waiting continue to pepper the pages of the Old Testament. Abraham and Sarah wait for years to receive their promised progeny, Isaac (Genesis 21). Joseph, unjustly accused, waits for years in jail before he is called upon to interpret Pharaoh’s dream and protect the community from famine (Genesis 41:1-36). After being enslaved for many years, Moses and the Israelites wander in the wilderness for 40 years to ensure the old generation dies before a new generation is allowed to enter the promised land (Numbers 14:26-35). David, anointed as king by Samuel, does not take the throne of Israel for years, suffering consistent persecution from his enemies (1 Samuel 19). Psalm 13 provides a window into David’s heart as he waits upon the Lord in his various trials: “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” That a man after God’s own heart, like David, would struggle with waiting should be a comfort to all of us!
And the stories of waiting are not restricted to a single person or generation. Israel is exiled for hundreds of years before they are called back to rebuild. And they wait hundreds of years for the coming Messiah. Generations upon generations teach the faith to their children with no inkling of when the promise might be fulfilled. Waiting is a constant refrain in the Old Testament and it continues in the New. Jesus waits for 30 years to begin his Messianic ministry. He waits to visit a sick Lazarus so that the glory of resurrection might be revealed (John 11:4). He pauses in the midst of a crowd to ascertain the identity of the bleeding woman (Luke 8:43-48). He waits in the tomb for 3 days (Luke 24:6-8), waits to reveal himself to his followers on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:15-16, 30-32), waits to send the Holy Spirit until Pentecost (Acts 1:6-8)…the list goes on. Jesus was not in a hurry.
Hebrews 11:13 reminds us that some of the things we wait for may not be fulfilled in our lifetime:
“These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.”
We may die in unfulfilled faith, just like our forefathers did. But we know the end of the story: God has revealed to us in Revelation 21-22 that a new and glorious future awaits his children.
These stories demonstrate to us why patience matters. God is orchestrating events outside our purview and control (and, likely, beyond our limited understanding) to develop a beautiful melody in his divine symphony. Minutes, days, and years may feel like a slog for us, but we must be confident that God is working in his perfect timing.
The funny thing about patience is that it is derivative of other character qualities. I have a hard time sustaining patience if I do not trust that God is working, holding onto a deep and abiding faith that he cares about my situation. I cannot wait without developing at least a single shred of contentment in my circumstances, peacefully recognizing that something positive inspires me to continue. And I will certainly be anxious if I do not attend to my own expectations, recognizing how a dose of self-control humbly reminds me of my limited participation in God’s great saga.
What is it that we are waiting for? When are we crying out with David: “How long, O Lord?” Where are we tempted to zoom down the mountain on our own timeline, leaving our loved ones in the dust? What fears and anxieties are stealing our patience? And how can we bolster our character with the fruits of the Spirit so we can equip ourselves to wait for God’s timing? We may feel like waiting is stupid, but how can we see it serving a purpose?
Whatever we might be waiting for, we can be confident that God is good and his plan is worth waiting for. The faith of our forefathers (especially those who never saw the promises of God directly fulfilled) inspires us to press on. May we settle into a contented and expectant patience as we await his glorious return!
Photo Credit: Jenna Martin
Julie isan engaging learner and educator with a love for inspiring groups of all sizes to learn widely and grow deeply. Presenting content that is both fascinating and fun, she enjoys bringing life to a wide range of topics, from FDA regulations, to German beer brewing history, to the beauty of Scripture expounded across eras of the church to the intricacies of sweater knitting. She is currently studying at Denver Seminary for her M. A. in New Testament, though she remains based in her beloved Cincinnati to grow roots with her amazing friends, family and church.
