The Spiritual Discipline of Waiting

The Spiritual Discipline of Waiting explores patience, trust, and prayer showing waiting on God shapes faith and cultivates Christlike character.Patience.

Wait.

Rest.

I don’t naturally do well with any of those words. But honestly, does anyone? Think about this culture. Everything needs to be done right now.

Bring it right now.

Answer right now.

Cook it right now.

Arriving next day.

We have built a culture predicated on the fact that you are way, way too important to have to wait. Your time is entirely too valuable to watch a reel that doesn’t pay off in seven seconds.

We’ve got things to do.
We’ve got places to be.
Your presence is anxiously being anticipated somewhere, right?

Nothing in our culture applauds patience. In fact, dare I say even in church culture, it’s seen almost as a sign of weakness. Everything needs to be done quickly, now.

I had a friend tell me once, “You know busyness is not a fruit of the Spirit.”

Let’s just say I didn’t receive that well in real time and leave it at that. But now I appreciate it. And as I desire to be more like Jesus, that hard word from a friend becomes more relevant with each day.

I’ll stop here and acknowledge that you may have thought a devotional about patience would be about being patient with people. I would simply contend that if I can’t be patient at Chick-fil-A, there’s a pretty good chance I won’t be patient with an aggravating co-worker or family member. Those things are intrinsically connected. It all needs the exact same fruit.

Starbucks.

The red light.

The 30-minute customer service wait.

They are all practice. Continual union with Christ allows me to cultivate patience in the small things of life so I can extend it to others when the big things come up.

Speaking of Jesus, since the true creation of this fruit in our lives can only flow from our union with Him, let’s observe a story about Him waiting.

John 11 tells us that Lazarus, one of Jesus’ best friends, was sick, and then he died. Jesus knew it. They sent word to Him asking Him to hurry there. Again, scripture goes out of its way to explain how much Jesus loves these people. It’s the only time we see Jesus openly crying. They weren’t just followers. They were friends.

But when He heard of their distress, He didn’t rush. He didn’t drop everything and run back. In fact, He waited a few days before He launched out on what may have been a few days’ journey to see them.

Then once He gets there and everyone is mourning the death of His friend, He prays,

“Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

That’s it, isn’t it? It’s exactly what Jesus said. “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me.”

He could wait all those days because He knew the Father heard Him when He prayed. Not only that, but He always hears.

I’m currently studying for my MBA, and I’m particularly enjoying my Accounting class far more than I thought I would. I’m struck by how every single thing comes down to an equation that ends up being a concept for a much larger thing.

So let me leave you with my own makeshift equation for patience:

Prayer + Trust = Patience

I asked Him.

He heard me.

I trust Him.

I can wait.