Learning to (Imperfectly) Wait

I've never been a patient person. I like to be first in line, leading the way, no matter what. Waiting for change to come or an outcome to be settled drives me crazy, so I tend to rush ahead and try to solve the issue by myself, often unsuccessfully. So, if I'm writing a blog post about this, it must mean that all those patience issues are cured, right? Big hint, they aren’t. But, over the past year, I’ve been intentionally trying to live at the pace of Jesus, and here are a few things I’ve learned as I imperfectly grow in my patience:

1.  There’s no rushing in the Kingdom

I have a Type A personality, which means I value time management, but I also tend to be anxious, controlling, and hyperactively aware in each situation of how to make it the most efficient.

However, God’s Kingdom isn’t like that. God has perfect timing, He is never late, and He doesn’t rush around frantically like I do.

One of my favorite quotes that I hold on to when I’m being impatient or controlling is this: “Our King is seated. He’s not frantically pacing. He’s not anxious or nervous. He’s not unsettled or scared. He is seated, settled, and secure.” So, if the King of Kings is seated on His throne, there’s no need for me to rush.

2. Be interruptible

Living at the pace of Jesus means living a slow and intentional lifestyle. Jesus had a heavenly mission, but He was interruptible. He often stopped what He was doing to talk with people, heal them, and create personal relationships that made them feel seen and heard.

One of my favorite stories about this aspect of Jesus comes from Luke 8 when a bleeding woman touched Jesus in a large crowd and was healed. Instead of pressing on in his day, Jesus stopped and talked with the woman about her faith. As I go about my day, I want to be able to stop what I’m doing and make other people feel loved without worrying about getting back to the hurry.

3. God has a full and wonderful life waiting for you

John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Sometimes, our rushing and anxious hurry is a temptation to not rely on God and the full life He has for us. Now, this “full life” isn’t all sunshine and rainbows; life is still messy and stressful, even if you have faith in Jesus, but He blesses us with the strength to endure and faithfully wait when we trust in His timing.

So, as I continue in my attempts to live at the pace of Jesus, not rushing because He is seated, being interruptible, and trusting in the full life He has for me, I encourage you to do the same. Wait, be strong, take heart, and wait.

To learn more about spiritual formation at Huntington University, visit the Center for Spiritual Formation webpage.