Patience. This is one trait that many people do not have. I am definitely one of these people. I like for things to happen on my time, and I do not want to wait for very long. However, this is not how we need to be.

In my mass communications class, I learned that we live in a world that expects things to happen fast. If it does not happen fast, then we move on and do not go back to whatever we were doing. I knew this, but for the first time, I realized how true this was in the world around me and in my life. This can be very problematic for us though.

When you look at the bible, you will run across stories about patience or the lack there of. One main story that comes to my mind is the parable of the prodigal son.

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. Luke 15:11-24

The son did not wait like his father I’m sure wanted to get his share of the estate. He then went out and basically dug himself into a hole. This is what can happen to us when we decide that we don’t want to wait on anything especially God’s plan which is perfect. The good news is that like the father in the parable, God will have compassion for us even when we get impatient with him. The main thing is to remember that yes, it is hard to wait, but we need to sometimes so that we don’t miss out on what is truly important and necessary for our lives.