For a long time, I have known that patience is not one of my gifts. I live an extremely fast-paced lifestyle. I move through everything I am in control of as quickly as possible. I get frustrated when things don’t happen in my timing. I want to know the right answers, and I want to know them now. I hate waiting in line. I hate having to do things over when they could have been done right the first time. I drive fast. I type fast. I walk fast. I am almost always on a mission.
AND IT’S EXHAUSTING.
I’m a huge dreamer, I’m impatient, I’m a planner, I’m a hopeless romantic, and I’m a doer. So when God calls me to rest and wait, it’s pretty much the last thing I want to do. I’m always ready to go do something! I never want to wait and see what God has planned next, I just want to know now and go live that. I want to go work on the things and the passions that he is laying on my heart and serve him. And I want to do it all NOW.
But what good is any of this if God is telling me to chill? What purpose am I serving if God is telling me to rest and wait and instead I’m rushing around doing my own thing? Let me tell you, that’s not serving an eternal purpose. That’s serving a ME, KATHRYN, RIGHT NOW purpose. That’s not glorifying to God. That’s an attempt to be glorifying to myself. Galatians 5:24 tells us, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.” If I am going to serve only Christ as I want to, I can’t serve myself as well. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:24 that “No one can serve two masters.” Case closed.
So how do I step back, rest in God’s plan, and endeavor to always serve him instead of myself? How do I learn to wait when all I know how to do is rush through life? Well… I don’t know. To be honest, so far, it hasn’t been easy, but I know that God is going to reveal himself little by little throughout this time (even if it’s not at the exact moments when I want him to!). He has provided in ways that I didn’t expect, like incredible new friends, reconnections with old friends, an awesome family, and encouraging words from those who don’t even know how much life God is speaking into me through what they’re saying! God is good and he always, always provides for us, even when we don’t see it right away. Even though learning to rest and wait is such a challenge for me, I know that it will pay off when I finally see what God is doing. We serve an INCREDIBLE God!
Where do you see God leading you in your life right now? Leave a comment, email me at kathryn.krieger@hope.edu, or tweet @hopekathryn17! Thanks for reading!
“And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.” – 1 Peter 2:5