We live in a consumerism culture, and most of us are tired of waiting.
We are inclined to say, “We want it NOW and NOW” in our angry or soft voice. It could depend on how much we want a particular thing.
For my example, I wanted an iPad Pro (5th Generations) really bad. Besides being super fast, my old iPad Air 2 has been slow and not working properly for a while. When I first bought the new iPad, I had to wait over a month since it was probably delivered from America.
When I got a new iPad, I was thrilled and excited. However, I think it became slow since I wiped the iPad with wet wipes to remove fingerprints too much. When I tried to restart the iPad, the screen did not work anymore.
Therefore, I had to replace it, and due to the network between Apple and PB Tech, I had to wait for a while to receive a refund.
When I got the refund, I ordered the new one with 16GB Ram from PB Tech because of installing and using intensive applications for a graphic designer and video editor. I have wanted to become one for a long time.
However, my mum found out that I spent over $3000 to get the iPad. She was so disappointed that she told me to cancel the order and told me to get a cheaper one.
When I tried to cancel it, it already was dispatched for delivery. I had to wait for the arrival of the new iPad and my mum to return the iPad.
While waiting, I realised that being a professional graphic designer and/or video editor has not been one of my dreams. I just wanted to design graphics and/or edit videos for the church as my side job. My real dream is to continue to be a Christian writer I hope I can write Christian books someday in future.
Therefore, I have learned a valuable lesson in the season of waiting. Waiting develops one’s discernment in anything, such as my example of getting a suitable iPad.
Waiting also improves one’s patience.
Patience is the ability to stay calm while you're waiting for an outcome that you need or want. (Mind Tools Content Team, Mind Tools)
God’s patience
God loves us so much that He desires us to have an intimate relationship with Him and get to know Him personally. He even sent His only and beloved Son, Jesus Christ, into the earth to represent God and sacrifice His life for us.
Through Jesus’ death, God exchanged our death penalty with eternal life, so we get to live our precious lives abundantly and eternally through faith in Him.
Although there is an opportunity to receive the Holy Spirit to guide God’s people in getting to know Him personally, God humbly waits for them to come to Him through faith in Christ, even though He knows that we are imperfect people (2 Peter chapter 3, verses 8-9; Matthew chapter 11, verses 28-30).
Application
Likewise, we need to be patient with everyone by anchoring ourselves with the love of God, even if we want something to happen desperately. Otherwise, we will not ever fulfil our anticipated outcome.
For example, I have the hope of God that everyone will be reconciled with God and with one another as the body of Christ and worship Jesus with one heart and mind (Romans chapter 15, verses 5-6; Philippians chapter 2, verses 9-11).
I serve my fellow believers as best as I can to influence and encourage them in their spiritual journey with Christ with God’s word (Hebrews chapter 4, verse 12; 2 Timothy chapter 3, verses 16-17).
However, my missionary work becomes meaningless if I do not have love. (1 Corinthians chapter 13, verse 2-3). We may argue to prove each other wrong, and as a result, it causes a division between ourselves.
Hence, if I serve my fellow believers with love and truth, the outcome of my missionary work would be more effective and transformational. The reason for this is that I am working with the power of the Spirit.
One of the reasons that God illustrated His love to us through Jesus’ sacrifice is that we could show the same kind of love to others (John chapter 15, verses 12-13).
Sacrifice does not only mean to literally die but to give our all as much as we can, as the second greatest commandment of God is to love others as ourselves (Mark chapter 12, verse 31).
Other than showing care and love with encouragement through text messaging, I need to work more on influencing others with love and truth in person, as I am afraid that I might offend others.
However, I need to toughen myself up and speak the truth with love, as my gift is encouraging others.
One of the essential facts about me is that I have to be patient with everyone. I desire that everybody can understand me. However, due to my speech disability, patience is required.
Since it takes time for people to understand me, I desire to wait for everyone to understand me really well as I love everybody so much. So, I could encourage others more comfortably, even without using my iPad.
Kevin Park is studying at Carey Baptist College and finds that Christian-writing is his ultimate will of God and his ultimate method to build the kingdom of God. He started to become a Christian writer from 2013. Other than his writing life, Kevin desires to see that each finds everlasting satisfaction in God, the Almighty. You will be able to contact him at kevin.park1991@gmail.com. He loves to encourage others spiritually.
Kevin Park’s previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/kevin-park.html