WHY IS IT SO HARD TO WAIT??

Being patient is a spiritual discipline. Here in this 'instant' society we want things to happen and we want them to happen now. Things do not happen overnight. If you push, pry and nag to find out things or wonder why something is not happening faster than it is then you are going to get yourself all wound up and in some sort of emotional tsunami. Just try to relax and get involved someplace else to take your mind off whatever it is you can not wait for. Hastiness causes words to be spoken that you wish you would not have ever come out of your mouth or makes you do things because you can not be still and wait.(See Psalm 46:10). Taking matters into your own hands is usually a disaster waiting to happen.

The following brief paragraphs are a few examples of things we have to wait on and sometimes do not enjoy very much.
 Patience waiting for a baby to arrive is commonplace for a young married couple especially waiting for a first child. You get a hypothetical due date but then that date comes and goes and no baby. What happened? Did someone miscalculate something?

You do not hear back from a friend in quite a while and start wondering what is wrong when in effect you find out the friend or a family member is sick or dying then your huffy inpatient spirit made you feel stupid.

 You are excited about an interactive display at the store where a demonstrator is telling you how wonderful some  new gadget is, so you succumb to his sales pressure, take the item home, and regret ever buying it. What you should have done is waited and thought about it and most likely you would have left it in the store.

 At times we speak out of impatience and are sorry we did. We can not wait on some action so you 'shoot off' your mouth to someone and are sorry.

The computer is not printing something so you keep hitting the print button repeatedly. Finally you give up and the next day 25 copies of the same page come shooting out of the printer.

 There is a place  you want to reserve for a special function and you can not get them on the phone and you are getting so frustrated.You assume things that may not even be factual about why this place is treating you rudely.Things take time.

 If you are building a house or pouring concrete for  a sidewalk you need to be able to wait for cement to cure and dry or your home or sidewalk will not be stable.

Waiting for an internet signal sometimes is maddening at the local coffee shop or at home.

Raising a child takes patience but in the end yields a wonderful reward.

We call some business and are transferred multiple times or put on hold then disconnected. Now there is an exercise in patience! So you see by these examples that patience is a valuable spiritual discipline to learn and practice.

Why is it so hard to wait? We want things and we want them now! If you have small children it is good to start early instilling in them the value of waiting and not making them think everything in life comes easy or they are 'entitled' to it. Isaiah 40:31 says "But they who wait upon the Lord will get new strength. They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weak." Proverbs 20:21 has something to say about waiting and money and it says "A large gift received at one time in a hurry will not bring good in the end."

 Do not make snap judgements.  Think things through. Pray at all times.  Pray over business decisions, marriage partner decisions, job decisions, major purchases and many other things.

 You have to work hard to get things and not think things should be just dropped into your lap. This too is an area that requires patience in saving for the future and things you want to have. Only through diligent hard work and waiting on God can a person have success. A person does not become a doctor without much study, sacrifice, and hard work .Today in the world people think they should get things without the effort. Things worth anything take effort. We live in a society in America where people do not want to wait or work and think they are 'entitled' to things.Sadly our own government is perpetuating this attitude which is not Biblical might I add.  It takes hard work and patience to build up savings. If you give up, you may think you need government assistance or you just use credit cards because you can not wait. Be patient until you build up the money. Do not fall into the trap today of the 'class warfare' going on in our nation. If you want something go to school, learn a skill and work hard. Do not sit around thinking other people should not have their wealth. In America we all have a chance to succeed. It is so sad becasue this mentality is teaching people to envy those who worked hard, took the time, and did what they did  to gain their wealth. You mature and grow by working hard for something , not being envious of others. Work hard and wait and you will receive a reward.

2 Corinthians 9:6 says "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." Work hard at all you do as if you were working for the Lord because you really are. (See Colossians 3:23).

Patience is in fact a fruit of the spirit(See Galatians 5:22). Proverbs 21:5 says "The plans of those who do their best lead only to having all they need, but all who are in a hurry come only to want." Do not be quick and hasty in deciding everything. There are those persons whose jobs often depend on snap decisions such as in the military, medicine or pilots but most people can have time to think through things if it is not some dire emergency. Proverbs 29:20 says "Do you see a man who is quick with his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him."

It truly is a spiritual fruit of the spirit and discipline to be able to wait. Rushing into things only leads to trouble in many instances. Listen to the warnings of God in the Bible and pray. Cast your cares upon him and give him your impatient spirit. Before you decide a matter perhaps sleep on it overnight .It might save you lots of heartache in the end.

PRAYER: Lord it is so very hard to wait at times. We speak before we think and then regret it and end up apologizing. We do things without thinking how they will affect other people. We jump to conclusions and rush to judgment. Lord help me to not be hasty to do anything but slow me down Lord. Help me sit and rest and wait for your timing in all things. In Jesus Name .Amen.
Song included: click link to enjoy this worship song...While I'm Waiting
http://youtu.be/hbRVm0wJVi0