Many times, the Bible talks about waiting – to wait for the Lord, the importance of waiting and the benefits that come from waiting.

However, who really wants to wait in a world where almost everything is instantaneous? I mean, think about it: you can access about anything online within 2 seconds of clicking a button; texting and calling is nearly instant; there are fast food places left and right offering you a 5-course meal almost immediately; the list goes on and on.

Greenhouse Church pastor, Mike Patz, recently spoke on the importance of waiting in last week’s sermon. One sentence he focused on was this: God is not slow, but He’s also not in a hurry.

When you haven’t heard from God in a while, you probably often think to yourself “Why hasn’t He given me an answer yet?” followed by “Am I hearing what God said correctly or am I making this up?” But remember, God is not in a hurry.

The pastor perfectly illustrated time as he compared the ancient Greeks two words for time: chronos and kairos. You see, chronos time refers to chronological, sequential order. We often get through life with a chronos mindset of 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – getting as much done as possible and getting it done quickly. In other words, the word “wait” is simply not in our vocabulary.

A kairos clock channels opportunities and moments rather than seconds and minutes. Living with a kairos mindset is embracing whatever season you’re in, knowing that the wait or the hurt is making you a better person.

Proverbs 13:12 supports this mindset:

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”

In other words, the delay of something that we desire hurts so badly sometimes that it aches the heart. However, when we finally obtain whatever it is that we waited for, it is “the tree of life” – the waiting period makes the prize that much more satisfactory.

The waiting period is also good for our character. It’s humbling to our soul. One of my favorite bible verses that supports this notion is from the first chapter of James verses 2-4 (James 1:2-4):

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

You see, it’s more than just waiting… it’s more than ourselves and our wants. It’s about the process and the ceaseless development of our character. It’s about maturing our kairos clock which measures the moments and the opportunities, not the minutes within a single day.

When you’re wondering why you’re in the pit of waiting, remember that God has already given you enough to make it through the season you’re in, the relationship you’re in or the hurt you’re facing. He has prepared you for this exact moment.