Waiting

Our generation lives in a world that is far more technologically advanced than it has ever been. Technology permeates almost every part of our life. Not a single hour passes by in which we do not interact with some form of technology. Our strong use of technology has inevitably led to our dependence on it and it is slowly starting to rewire the way we think and behave. Some of the adaptation is positive, whereas most of it is negative.

There used to be a time when we were forced to wait for a Youtube video to load before we could start watching it. As I recall, even a single Google image would require about half a minute to load. Today, the speed at which information is accessible is unreal. The whole world is at our fingertips and we have the power to virtually be present anywhere, anytime almost instantaneously.

Virtual reality seems to be accelerating at an unbelievably rapid speed and the more we live in this reality, the more we are susceptible to thinking that our physical reality must move along at a similar rate. One of the negative consequences that comes from our use of technology is our inability to wait. We have lost all desire to wait. We have become very impatient. We want everything now.

Not only do we hate to wait; we have also begun to view waiting as something to be avoided, something that slows us down, weakens our progress, and makes us ineffective. It would be right for us to despise the act of waiting if we controlled time. If only somehow we had power over time. However, even the One who created time and is in control of it decides to wait. The Bible tells us that the Lord waits, He is patient with us.

If our God waits, then the act of waiting and being patient is a virtue. We must therefore, enjoy the process of waiting, for it is at this time, that God works in us in a special way by reminding us that we are not in control of time, showing us that we are in need of Him, and ultimately leading us to enjoy Him more than the thing which we were waiting for.

Waiting is an inevitable part of our human existence. Many students are waiting for that final day of college. Graduates are waiting for that call from the hiring manager of that perfect job. Single girls are waiting for that day when they will stand at the altar alongside with the man of their dreams. Parents wait for their children to grow up. The church waits for the coming of Christ and the end of all hostility from the world.

In the end, the waiting always brings great joy!