So the car salesman tells me, “You’d better decide if you want this car now, because if you wait, it might be gone.” I walked out. So Sam from the I.R.S., badge number 67345, tells me “You must immediately go to the store, buy $750 in gift cards, and transfer the money right away because in 30 minutes the police are going to arrest you for back taxes.” I hung up. Whenever someone tries to rush me, I become very suspicious. While some things like chest pains demand urgency, in a lot of other situations we need to take our time. I believe patience is a virtue.

The importance of patience applies to matters of the spirit as well. This is a quote from a Coptic Sister I came across: “Spiritual maturity requires a lot of patience and waiting. . . . Twenty-first century people have become accustomed to quick movement, instant decision making, being constantly connected, and expecting immediate gratification. Spirituality does not follow the rules of modernity. Spirituality is not a quick fix. It gives no instant gratification, but requires perseverance and patience.”*

These are wise words. Any kind of spiritual practice including prayer, meditation, scripture reading, takes time to take hold in us. There are times when, for example, a person might thumb through the Bible and find a verse that immediately speaks to them. Other times nothing might seem to speak to the person. Should they just quit reading the Bible? No. We need to be patient and persistent. Keep at it. Let God work in God’s time.

Read Psalm 40:1 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne

*Lois Farag, Balance of the Heart, p. 78.