Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow until the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
Luke 2:36–38
I’ve spent many years as a member of Weight Watchers, trying and hoping to change my habits and make healthier choices. Nearly every leader I’ve ever had in the program has counseled new members against impatience, warning us that weight loss — and even more so, life change — takes time. They reminded us that we didn’t get to where we were overnight, and it wouldn’t change overnight either.
This was the hardest part of my weight-loss journey — harder even than avoiding second helpings at dinner, adding more vegetables to my day, or getting back on the treadmill. Remembering that my problems had developed one day at a time, one pound at a time, even one choice at a time felt impossible when I was finally ready for change and anxious to see results.
Honestly, I’ve noticed this impatience show up in many areas of my life. Why wait for five to seven business days when I can get my packages with two-day shipping instead? Why let my dinner simmer all day in the slow cooker when I can zap it with the pressure cooker? Why begin watching a television show when it first premieres, waiting a whole week for a new episode, when after a few months I can binge the whole thing on a streaming service? And speaking of streaming, why isn’t the latest season of my favorite show available yet?
Like a little kid counting down to a birthday, holiday, or other big event — asking each morning how many more sleeps until the big day — I want what I want, and I want it right now. Whether we’re talking about something inconsequential like a television show or something significant like healing or rescue from a serious situation, most of us tend to quickly turn to frustration or even despair when we don’t get the answer, the results, or the relief we desire. In a society focused on immediate gratification, we forget the virtue of patience.
Of course, if we’re willing, we don’t have to look far to see how many good things come only after waiting. Flowers bloom in the spring, but not until they’re good and ready. Crops planted in springtime can’t be harvested until the summer and fall. We can check on that tomato plant on the back porch every thirty minutes after planting it, but nothing we do will make it produce fruit any faster. If we’re patient, though, we might learn to enjoy the process — the watering, the watching, even the waiting for the payoff in the end.
The same is true of God and His plans. We can’t make Him move any faster. But if we can learn to be still and wait for the Lord, eventually we will see Him answer our prayers, and in the interim, we will discover so much about ourselves and about God. We can grow closer to God in those seasons of waiting and see our faith deepen as we rely on Him and His good plans.
When I think of Anna in the temple, faithful and patient as she waited for the promised Messiah, I’m inspired to trust God to give me the patience I need in my own life. I laugh when I imagine Anna’s joy at seeing Mary and Joseph walk through the doors with Jesus, and I’m encouraged to wait for my own moment to exclaim, “Finally! He’s here!”
But I can’t do it on my own, and, I suspect, neither can you.
Patience does not come naturally for most of us, especially when overnight shipping and thirty-minute delivery are everyday options. But God promises to give us what we need, and that includes patience. As we face long-term challenges and seemingly unending struggles — or even when we simply can’t get exactly what we want right when we want it — let’s ask God to give us patience. Let’s ask Him to empower us to wait for Him like Anna did until the day we see His promises fulfilled.
God, it’s so hard to wait. Please help me to be patient. Remind me of Your promises and give me faith that You will fulfill them. When impatience rises in me, empower me to wait on You, and help me to pay attention to how You move even in the waiting. Amen.
This article was written by Mary Carver, and published in Empowered: More of Him for All of You.
Empowered: More of Him for All of You, by Mary Carver, Grace P. Cho, and Anna E. Rendell is designed to incorporate the five major components of our being — physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual. The sixty Scripture passages and devotions invite you to see from different angles how God empowers us, and each day ends with prayer and reflection questions to deepen the learning. Grab a copy now. We pray it blesses you.
Gosh Mary, if ever I needed to hear something, this was it! Last night a dear friend tried to point this out how I do not have to rush trying to get the painting done, the garden mowed, etc. Patience is not something I have been successful at developing. Maybe now?
Mary – these are beautiful words.
Thank you, Mary! I have just finished a period of intense “doing” after a lot of “waiting”. I prayed for a new attitude about the whole process. And it arrived. I felt peace, even when things were crazy. Thank you, Lord, for that!
Thank you for this much-needed & timely devotional. Patience definitely does not come naturally for me. Praying that I can “grow closer to God in those seasons of waiting and see [my] faith deepen as [I] rely on Him and His good plans.” Whether it’s waiting for my spouse to get over COVID & praying that I don’t get it too OR the long-term waiting for a restored relationship with our estranged son – may I grow closer to God while waiting.
MP God has given me Psalm 103 v 3 for your spouse and I pray you don’t catch COVID. I said a prayer for your spouse and that you don’t take it Love Dawn Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland. xx
Mary well said. If we are honest Patients probably doesn’t come to most of easily. Like some giving up Smoking. I never done it. I hate the habit full stop if was good for you made you live 10 or 100 years longer I still couldn’t do it. But I know people that have got saved that smoked that have found it so hard to give the habit up. But I praise God I never took it up. I never judge any one needing patience to give up a habit no matter what it is. Like you Mary and loosing the weight. Some find it easier to have patience to give up something easier than others. For what other reason they are giving it up or wanting to give it up. Some struggle to give the habit up. But we as fallowers of Jesus are not to judge them that struggle to give their habit up and can’t give up as easy as some people. But we are to encourage them and pray for them let them know especially if saved with Jesus help they can do it and our prayers. They can have the patience to give up their habit. We are not to look down on them we are to keep loving them. As God would not want to look now on them or judge them for getting into the habit they have that they got into. That they now find hard to break. We are to do what Jesus would want us to do is keep loving them and encouraging them and praying for them. God will bless us for doing that. Some times we find in our own lives patients hard to deal with in different sustations in our lives. Especially if it with Family we don’t get get on with at times. Especially if they are not saved and they don’t see things from our point of view. They think they are always right. We know we are right doing things right in God’s eyes. This where things can clash. I had this at times with my unsaved Family especially my Dad. As he thinks because he is older and he thinks he right he is always right. I have at times like this say what would Jesus Do. I heard God say Dawn say to your Dad I saying nothing more to you as you will believe what you what and you will think you are right. I not getting into a row over it. This where I have to have real Patients with my Dad who is not saved. I pray for his salvation. At the moment he my Dad has no notion of getting saved. Only God through his Holy Spirit can convict him that he needs Jesus as his Saviour. Sometimes it hard to have real Patients in times like this as my Dad believes he is always right no matter what. I have to remember to have patience and say nothing and watch my words. Ask God to give me patience. Thanks Mary for today’s reading. I do my 82 year old Dad home help. It can be hard at times. I do on to the Love of the Lord and the Love of my Dad. My prayer is to see my Dad saved before he leaves this world. Love Dawn xx
I love your reading of Anna’s story! She seems like a side-character but she does have lessons for us in waiting and enjoying plain old everyday until “the big day”.
I want to enjoy the fresh manna, not yearn for tomorrow’s; rejoice at today’s new mercies, and not despise them by trying to get a glimpse of the next ones.
I find that time takes a whole different dimension in the presence of Jesus, and it’s up to us to decide if we surrender to Him or tug against God’s timing -really like an impatient child, at her mom’s skirt!
Job 38:2 (ESV) is a constant eye-opener, sobering reference for me. God expects us to be available to do our part in His plan, to be “willing to be interrupted and keep a good attitude” -as Joyce Meyer would put it- while we wait for our breakthroughs, ups delivery, traffic light, coffee…
Glory to Him who stretches us wait after wait.
Mary,
Impatience is my middle name. Like most people I want what I want & now. Over time God has shown me the virtue of waiting on His perfect timing. It took 4 years of prayers for God to send me a great spouse. That was 19 years ago. Don’t rush ahead of God. He has plans for each of us & it will happen in His time. I, too, want to be like Anna. Content to wait & enjoying the ride of life God has me on.
Blessings 🙂