The clock showed 5:30 am. I could certainly stay in bed for another hour, but I knew better. I had been trying to fall asleep again for the past hour to no avail. So I dragged my tired self out of bed, thanking God for coffee.
“Fortunately”, I thought, “I don’t have to wait for an entire pot of java to brew”. Several years ago, I discovered the marvel of one-cup coffee machines.
Thank you, Lord.
I hit the power button and waited for the three lights to announce that the machine was ready to brew. I was irritated that it took a whole minute for the welcoming blue lights to start blinking and another 30 seconds to brew my morning delight.
“Give it to me now!” I thought to myself.
That’s when it dawned on me: Good grief! My ability to wait has certainly changed since I moved to America.
I remember the shock I experienced on my first American dining experience eighteen years ago.
My husband picked me up at the airport and we stopped at a restaurant for lunch. The waiter was at our table in 30 seconds. We were served in 10 minutes. The bill was delivered while our food was still hot on the plates.
I felt rushed. Surprised. Outraged, almost. I was used to the Brazilian way, where dining is an event to be savored, enjoyed, relished. We take our time. We talk a lot. Eat a lot.
Seize the moment.
Rushing isn’t confined to the United States of America, though. My once laid-back Brazil has also quickly morphed into a fast-paced, impatient society in the past decade.
Rushing is not the American way. It’s the millennium way. We want it and we want it now. We rush success, we rush intimacy and, invariably, we rush God.
The problem with the concept is in the very nature of God.
God is patient. He can’t be rushed. He does not believe in instant anything. Rather, He believes in process. It takes time to listen to Him. It takes effort and time to know Him.
And, in my experience, He certainly never seems to be in a hurry to deliver His promises.
Waiting is a difficult task. Depending on your personality, it’s nearly impossible. If you are a go-getter like me, it probably kills you not being able to control the timing and outcome of your projects and dreams.
Waiting on true love. Waiting on that promotion. Waiting to conceive. It stinks, really.
Our flesh screams: “Hurry up with the lesson, already. Just tell me what I need to learn. I’m ready to move on!” However, I believe that the reason for the waiting is often beyond our realm of understanding.
Because it’s really not just about us.
In retrospective, I realize that I have often waited on something because the people involved in my prayer request were not ready. Or the situation wasn’t ready. Or I wasn’t ready. I also realize how God has used the time I waited to strengthen me. Mature me. Change me. Change others around me.
Indeed, when we fully grasp that God is a good Father, and, as such, He seeks to make us better people…When we realize that the process of waiting is one of His tools to accomplish just that, we stop expecting Him to act as a one-cup coffee machine.
We understand that the rewards of a life of trust far surpass the gifts we seek. Better yet, we realize that, as long as we listen and obey, He never fails us and always delivers on time.
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Your cross-cultural experience is a gift! Thanks for pointing out my hurried ways. I find myself becoming impatient with my microwave and realize it’s time to get on the off ramp from crazy!
It’s the plague of the century, Michele! I truly believe that is the reason that stress and its offsprings (anxiety and depression) are so rampart in our society! We were not made to leave such stressful, chaotic lives. We need to pause more and rest in God’s presence more often.
Thank you so much for always participating on RechargeWednesday!
Blessings,
I loved this: “We rush success, we rush intimacy and, invariably, we rush God.”
So beautifully convicting!
Thank you, Becky! May we always remember to wait on God!
Blessings to you!
Your words rang true! Just yesterday I experienced friends and colleagues seeking my assistance, although I’m happy to help out, I would have been so grateful if the request for help would have been asked and not expected immediately. I also find texting is an area where I need to set boundaries – the book Tyranny of the Urgent comes to mind when I reflect on texting and the intrusion on my life! As for me, I believe I am in a season of growth and pruning. This is definitely a season of waiting!
Thank you for your insight, Robin.
In my experience, the seasons of waiting and pruning (though honestly were some of the hardest times in my life) were when I experienced God in the most powerful way. It’s from those seasons that I drew the discernment and wisdom to be able to minister to others… that makes them priceless.
I’m so grateful you stopped by!
Blessings,
Agree Patricia!
Thank you for stopping by and participating, Robin! God Bless you!
That title! But it’s so true. May we turn our hearts patiently toward the Lord.
Amen, Kelly! Thanks for stopping by!
Have a blessed day,
I think I’ve been by your blog before, Patricia, but I didn’t realize that you were from Brazil! Our daughter is engaged to a young many from Brazil and they are planning at July wedding :). I totally understand about impatience with God :/–which often translates into impatience with myself. Thank you for the reminder that I need to give God time to work in me and to just keep following his guidance.
Hi, Anita!
That’s so cool that you have a connection with my country now! That’ll give you another reason to come back here often 🙂
May God bless our daughter and her soon-to-be new husband.
I appreciate your comment and encouragement!
Deus te abençõe! (That’s “God bless you” in Portuguese :))
So, happy for this to show up on my time line. As a professional organizer I came to see that our external surroundings can be a reflection of what is going on inside of us. This is topic that I talk about in my second book Uncluttered: discovering strength and purpose in the chaos of life. I enjoy helping women to see the bigger picture in their life than just the clutter that they called me to help.
Lisa –
You are so right about that! I was just talking to my oldest about it yesterday. Good luck on your new book!
Blessings,
Thank you for sharing your linkup with me on Twitter! I’m always happy to find more great places to connect with others!
Blessings!
Hi, Rebekah!
Thank you for accepting the invitation! I hope #RechargeWednesday will be on your schedule going forward, and that it will bless you as you bless my audience with your blog post.
Blessings to you!
Patricia, you hit the nail right on the head, as it were. And I agree with Robin about the stress that’s caused in our lives even by other people’s expectation of right now and the intrusion of modern communication. Thanks for reminding us that the good things of God don’t come on our rush-rush schedules. Blessings!