In early May, my daughter Abbie experienced a unique car accident. A large round of tree stump fell off the back of a landscaping truck into Abbie’s lane on the expressway. With heavy traffic on all sides and behind her, Abbie couldn’t avoid the stump. She ran right into it.
The stump wedged itself under her car. Abbie nursed her car along to a nearby friend’s house. After their slacked-jaw response to her arrival, her friends pried the stump from under her car. The stump was big enough for them to roll it into their backyard as extra seating around their fire pit. I’m grateful that a more serious accident didn’t occur.
After eight weeks in the repair shop and many thousands of dollars later, the body shop called. Abbie’s car was almost complete. I was relieved! We’d been sharing my car since the accident. since Abbie lives close by. Even though Abbie lives close and works nearby as a NICU nurse, and I work at home, it was still tricky sharing a car.
The day before Abbie picked up her car, the body shop called again. Her driver’s side seatbelt didn’t pass the electronic safety tests. While her airbags didn’t deploy during the accident, the force of the collision damaged the integrity of the seatbelt. Even though the repairs were complete, her car was legally non-drivable.
Then, an even bigger problem popped up. The shop manager broke the news that there were no seatbelts in the entire country for her vehicle’s make and model. Not in junkyards. Not in the aftermarket. Honda factories weren’t making them. I asked when a seatbelt might become available. The manager let out a long sigh and said: “Ma’am, I don’t know.”
It’s been five weeks since that phone call. Still no seatbelt nor a hint of when one might arrive. Could be tomorrow, could be two weeks from now, or could be Christmas.
My daughter and I continue to share a car. In the moments when I want to grumble, I remember that this situation is giving me an invitation to grow in my least favorite aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit: patience.
Who loves waiting for something to happen that is out of your control? Answer: Not me.
God knew what He was doing when He designed the Fruit of the Spirit as a singular analogy of what the Holy Spirit grows in our lives. Otherwise, I’d cherrypick the other fruits like love, joy, or kindness of the Fruit of the Spirit tree and leave patience hanging for someone else to figure out. Instead, the Fruits of the Spirit are one because God intends for us to reflect all that Jesus is, not only the parts that we’re interested in.
I don’t enjoy being impatient. I want to pray, “God, take as long as You’d like.” However, once I say “Amen,” I usually expect God to deliver an answer via Amazon Prime in two days or less, preferably overnight shipping.
Can you relate? If patience is hard for you, there’s a popular verse on waiting that sparked an a-ha moment for me that I’d like to share with you. This discovery didn’t make waiting easier, but it has helped me to remember that waiting on God is always worth it.
“But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him]
Will gain new strength and renew their power;
They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun];
They will run and not become weary,
They will walk and not grow tired.”
Isaiah 40:31 AMP
My a-ha moment was this: This journey of patience is often where I can have the most impact in my Christian life. If God instantly gave me what I wanted, I’d probably not stop to look around at what other people needed.
What if your waiting room season included this prayer:
“God, while I’m waiting, You have permission to work through me to help others.”
For example, if you’re waiting on God to bring back the prodigal in your life, you can invest in young people at your church or in your community. While you’re waiting on God for a baby or grandchild, you can volunteer at your local school or make meals for new parents. For someone like me who is praying for God to bring a future spouse, I began meeting with another single woman at our favorite ice cream stand once a month to pray for her. Letting God work through us while we’re waiting encourages us and actually makes us stronger during the wait.
Where has the waiting been heavy for you, my friend? God knows that your wait is hard, but don’t jump ahead just because you’re tired of waiting. I love this wisdom: “You can save a lot of time waiting on God.”
Perhaps your prayer today could be: “God, while I’m waiting, please use me to make a difference. Work through me, God, for Your glory and my good. Amen.”
I love your post today! It lifted my spirits which has been challenged for some time. Unfortunately I can no longer walk, run or do my daily yoga routine. I tripped and broke my pelvis a couple years ago. The fall also caused a brain injury.It has changed everything. Our plans to travel, camp and enjoy our senior years aren’t going to happen as planned. Thank you for your encouraging words.
Oh Rita, that is a lot of life change to adjust to. Praise God for how today’s devotional encouraged you – and I pray that God continues to grow that encouragement in your heart throughout the week.
Rita,
Sweet sister prayers. You have had a bunch of life changes to adjust to. Asking God to send encouragement your way. May He show you where He can use you. Prayers for more good days ahead.
Blessings 🙂
What wonderful, incredibly helpful advice for me. My list of what I am waiting for is so long these days. I feel selfish at times but nothing I am waiting for is extravagant by any means (like waiting for someone to fix my bathroom). I do volunteer as much as I am able and then some. Patience has never been my strong point. I have felt like it was wasting time. But as I get older, I see the benefit and it has been something I have been working on. I need to let God do what God does best and pray for guidance.
Madeline, thank you for sharing your experience, your insights and that powerful wisdom of what you’ve learned from God. Your words will encourage many today!
Very meaningful post – especially with my favorite verse (Isaiah 40:31) and also because I needed to read this post about being patient. I’m afraid I’m very impatient. I really loved the phrases “waiting on God is always worth it” and also “you can save a lot of time waiting on God.”
To answer the question “where has the waiting been heavy?” still waiting for a prodigal son to come back to us and to the Lord. It’s been heartbreaking for the last several years.
Thank you for sharing your comment! As a fellow impatient person, your honesty encouraged me. I’m praying with you over your prodigal. So grateful for a God who never loses track of our loved ones and He holds our hearts while we pray and wait for them to return to Him and us.
Oh so good, Barb! I’ve been waiting on directions & timing for a new year in ministry. Word finally came down & my feelings are hurt. I can choose to wallow in my disappointment or I can look around & see how God wants me to serve others while I continue to wait on what I’m waiting on. Choice B is SO MUCH better!!! Blessings (((0)))
Hi Ruth! Thank you for stopping by (in)courage today and I’m so glad that God used today’s devotional to encourage you. My heart aches for the disappointment that you’re processing, but I’m so proud of your decision to let God use you AND know that He has more blessings waiting for you.
I have been waiting for reconciliation or at least redirection for just over a year now. I was doing okay but then the last couple of weeks took a hard turn and for some reason I’ve really been struggling. Unable to sleep at night, feeling weighed down by the anxiety of it all, wondering if it’s EVER going to come, and asking God, “Why is it taking so long? What are you waiting for? What do you want from me?” I’m consumed with thoughts of this relationship that ended so badly and needs mending. I want to be rid of it! How can God use me in this situation? I feel like everything I’m doing is just a distraction from the real issue that’s constantly gnawing away at me on the inside. It’s always just below the surface. My heart hurts.
Dear Angela, I’m so glad that you are here with us today. We see you and your heartache over something that means so very much to you. Praying that you experience God’s promises that He sees you and He hasn’t forgotten about your situation. You are loved deeply and fully by God.
Excellent advice, Barb! Thank you!
Thank you for joining us on (in)courage today, Irene!
This is going in my journaling Bible!
Wonderful! Praising God that this was an encouragement for you!
Barb, I am so thankful that your daughter wasn’t hurt running over the tree stump! Hate her car doesn’t have the seat belt, but God saved your daughter from harm, so I know He will provide her with the seatbelt! He does work in mysterious but oh so marvelous ways!
Kathy, I agree! It definitely could have been worse. We are practicing our waiting for God’s provision and grateful for all the ways that He is providing in the meantime.
What an amazing reminder: “Don’t try to cherrypick the fruit of the Spirit.” After all, in Galatians 5:22-23 is ‘the fruit (not fruits) is all of them!’
So glad that this was an encouragement to you, Peggy! Thank you for joining us for today’s (in)courage devotional.
I’m with you. Amazon prime that patience over here if you don’t mind. *sigh* What you shared, Barb, is a far better way. It’s too easy for me to try to make something happen, but usually that something is just a mess! Thank you for the alternative- pray to see how to meet other’s needs in the waiting room.
Barb,
People who know me well will tell you I have almost no patience. It’s hard waiting on God’s timing. Like you I want what I want now. When we slow down & wait that’s the time we can see the needs of others around us. During our waiting times we can get out & help others in some small way. For me that looks like volunteering at Loaves & Fishes Food Bank.
Prayers for everyone to get the answers they are waiting for from Jesus.
Blessings 🙂
This is the first time I have read one of your articles and it was just what I needed. I need to let God grow patience in me and shows me how to help others .