In our digital world, technology and innovation have brought us into a new age of convenience. We can shop, communicate, and even surpass lines with ease. While modern expediency can take away the discomfort of waiting, the practice of patience seems to fall by the wayside. The small ways we endure are slowly being etched away and with them goes our ability to be patient. Patience does not come naturally when we’re used to convenience. When all we believe we need is at our fingertips, what need have we to wait?

Moreover, rather than seeing patience as a habit, something to grow in and cultivate, patience is often framed as an attribute of personality. The gift of patience becomes a quality that only a select few possess when in reality it is something given by God to each of us. Patience creates in us the ability to rely on the Holy Spirit when we are called to endure, stretching our capacity beyond us to the God whose “yoke is easy” and “burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30). Patience is not waiting perfectly, it is endurance despite the circumstances and people around you. It is depending solely on Jesus, rather than our own strength.

Our patience is a reflection of the trust and relationship we have with God. In direct relationship to hope, patience relies on the promises of God, reminding us that we are the people of God. Jesus said to his disciples, and to us, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). Living patiently is choosing to look to Jesus in prayer, reliance, and worship when the temptation of self-reliance tries to steal our attention. It is a posture of both thankfulness and brokenness. Whatever we must overcome, Jesus has already overcome the world and its troubles for us. The gift of patience helps us to continue to persevere as we draw closer into a relationship with Jesus, relying on him rather than ourselves.

In a world that urges us to rush through life, patience is the practice of pausing, of taking the moment to see the waiting for its goodness rather than as a delay or roadblock. As we lean into the hope that surpasses the ache of waiting, we are reminded that we can trust God in the process. We will not always be able to have an easy path in life, but we can have a better relationship with Jesus. When we are faced with everything the world can throw at us, we are to “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12). Not because we are naive, or avoiding the state of our circumstances, but because God has given us the gift of forbearance, of enduring beyond what is before us. We are able to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2). When trouble plagues us, we can patiently weather the storm because we are anchored in our trust, our relationship, our love of Jesus. We rejoice in the truth that he is able to carry us through. Fixing our eyes on him goes beyond simply knowing Jesus, but being known by Jesus, allowing that relationship with our Creator to grow and take root within our lives regardless of circumstance. We know that patience is a gift that reminds us that we are not alone and that God is near to us and guiding us every step of the way. “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” (Proverbs 16:9).

In our digital world, technology and innovation have brought us into a new age of convenience. We can shop, communicate, and even surpass lines with ease. While modern expediency can take away the discomfort of waiting, the practice of patience seems to fall by the wayside. The small ways we endure are slowly being etched away and with them goes our ability to be patient. Patience does not come naturally when we’re used to convenience. When all we believe we need is at our fingertips, what need have we to wait?

Moreover, rather than seeing patience as a habit, something to grow in and cultivate, patience is often framed as an attribute of personality. The gift of patience becomes a quality that only a select few possess when in reality it is something given by God to each of us. Patience creates in us the ability to rely on the Holy Spirit when we are called to endure, stretching our capacity beyond us to the God whose “yoke is easy” and “burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30). Patience is not waiting perfectly, it is endurance despite the circumstances and people around you. It is depending solely on Jesus, rather than our own strength.

Our patience is a reflection of the trust and relationship we have with God. In direct relationship to hope, patience relies on the promises of God, reminding us that we are the people of God. Jesus said to his disciples, and to us, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). Living patiently is choosing to look to Jesus in prayer, reliance, and worship when the temptation of self-reliance tries to steal our attention. It is a posture of both thankfulness and brokenness. Whatever we must overcome, Jesus has already overcome the world and its troubles for us. The gift of patience helps us to continue to persevere as we draw closer into a relationship with Jesus, relying on him rather than ourselves.

In a world that urges us to rush through life, patience is the practice of pausing, of taking the moment to see the waiting for its goodness rather than as a delay or roadblock. As we lean into the hope that surpasses the ache of waiting, we are reminded that we can trust God in the process. We will not always be able to have an easy path in life, but we can have a better relationship with Jesus. When we are faced with everything the world can throw at us, we are to “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12). Not because we are naive, or avoiding the state of our circumstances, but because God has given us the gift of forbearance, of enduring beyond what is before us. We are able to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2). When trouble plagues us, we can patiently weather the storm because we are anchored in our trust, our relationship, our love of Jesus. We rejoice in the truth that he is able to carry us through. Fixing our eyes on him goes beyond simply knowing Jesus, but being known by Jesus, allowing that relationship with our Creator to grow and take root within our lives regardless of circumstance. We know that patience is a gift that reminds us that we are not alone and that God is near to us and guiding us every step of the way. “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” (Proverbs 16:9).