in the waiting room sits patience

We've read it in Scripture countless times before. We hear it at church and weddings over and over. We see it often. Yet, today, like a firefly, a light appears in darkness and I see something in those three simple words that are more than home to me. Love. Is. Patient.

According to the Webster Dictionary, patient is "bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint, not hasty or impetuous, steadfast despite opposition, difficutly, or adversity, or able or willing to bear - susceptible or admitting." And last but not least, Google says patient is "able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious - 'be patient, your time will come.'" Synonyms include "forbearing, uncomplaining, tolerant, resigned, stoical; calm, composed, even-tempered, imperturbable, unexcitable, accommodating, understanding indulgent; unflappable, cool."

Until today, I had only read these words with the emphasis on one mindset--to be patient when you're talking with your mother or co-worker, or to be patient when someone is taking their time. I see that the emphatic is patient tied to love. So often we read it in passing without even thinking about what it means to be patient. Paul makes a great point in 1 Corinthians, because the opposite of patience is, of course, impatience, and the opposite of love is hatred. His point is you can't show love if you're not patient. To be impatient is to be unloving, and therefore, selfish and hateful.

In recent days, I've found that the terms "waiting" or "patience" aren't a part of certain individuals' worlds. But I am here to tell anyone reading this that waiting is a real, live reality of everyday life. We wait in line. We wait at redlights. We wait for responses. We wait for school to end. We wait for the workday to end. We wait to grow up. We wait in line at the grocery store. We wait. And wait. And wait some more. I mean, I don't know anyone who particularly likes to wait on anything or for anyone, but whether we like it or not, waiting is very much alive and ready to make us miserable if we let it. The choice is yours.

If you want to start complaining about having to wait in the waiting room, think again. Waiting is nearly non-existent in that aspect. Try waiting in the wilderness for 40 years or building an ark for 20 years while awaiting for a world flood to errupt. Waiting patiently is the hardest thing to execute in our daily lives. Whether we like to admit it or not, we loathe waiting on anything and more importantly, waiting patiently. I've never known anyone who enjoys waiting on anything. We want it now. Right this moment. Babies are great example of that. They cry when they want something. And will probably remain in that state until something or someone settles their cry.

I've found a beauty woven within waiting; it teaches my impatient heart to settle down and remember that God knows everything about me, even the number of hairs on my head. His thoughts for me outnumber the worries and impatience in my life. I don't undertand the mind and heart of God completely, but I know that it is perfect, infalliable, truthful, beautiful, good, gracious, sovereign, humble, patient, kind, forgiving, loving, and so much more.

From the moment we enter this world, we learn that this world is a lot about waiting. Mary waited for Christ to make His appearance on earth. Sarah waited for a son and laughed at God's promise and provision. God waited over 30 years for His Son to redeem the world. This life is made up of waits and seeing God's Hand in all of them. Don't forsake the patient God in the midst of your waiting. He bears with us and understands every ounce of impatience in our hearts. He is the giver of patience and grace when He enters our chaos of waiting. I challenge myself that in the waiting room sits patience.

"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not over the one who prospers in his way..." - Psalm 37:7