We all want to hurry up and eat. The smells and ever increasing stomach growls can make waiting to eat excruciating. One of my daughter’s most common responses to what I want to make for dinner any given night is “how long is THAT gonna take?” Needless to say, I opt for quick dinners most nights with the little ones. Us grown-ups can act the same way with God when we have to wait, I know I do. Our mouths water, we sneak a bite, we open the oven to look, we ask how much longer?? Sitting down to our favorite foods is one of our favorite things on this earth. The bigger the feast, the more we slobber, anticipate, and……wait.

Waiting for something in our lives is no different. Patience is another fruit of the Spirit that does not come naturally to us, especially in our culture. We want it and we want it NOW. I feel God pressing on my heart and mind to remember that He is active while we wait. Waiting may seem like an idle waste of energy to us. I mean, what’s the hold up? We are all waiting on something….including Jesus’s blessed return to take us all home. I can’t wait! Well, we have to. What can we do while we wait? Trust, share, love, and ask for more patience.

Although we all want to hurry up and eat, waiting is like marinating. Marinating is where the good stuff happens and the food gets happy. If we shorten the marinade because of our impatience, the final product won’t be as delectable as it was intended to be. Remember that while we wait, there is a lot going on behind the scenes. We may feel idle, but God is anything but. There are family members to consider, hearts to soften, minds to strengthen, traditions to maintain or discontinue, generations to affect. These may all be factors in why we wait. He alone can handle all these variables.

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer WAITS for the land to yield it’s valuable crop, patiently WAITING for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. James 5:7,8

Naturally, we want to rush, get, take, eat, and run with it. But, He asks us to wait. To wait for His timing does not mean to be idle. There are all kinds of things we can do while we wait. Go do them! Trust the Chef and don’t rush the marinade…the feast will be worth it.