There’s a stoplight on my way to work that I detest. A left turn arrow, specifically. If you drive up to it as it’s turning yellow, you need to wait an eternity for it to turn green again. The last time I pulled up to it, I decided to time it just to feed my righteous indignation. You know how long I had to wait for that arrow to turn green again? Sixty whole seconds.

When did we get this impatient? When did we get to the point where having to wait a mere minute at a stoplight can ruin our morning commute? 

Do you ever feel this impatience with God? King David did: “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?” (Psalm 13:1,2).

We are such impatient creatures. Not only does God sometimes not answer our prayers the way we would like, but he also doesn’t seem to answer them as quickly as we would like. How long until I meet that perfect someone? How long until my kids get older so parenting becomes easier? How long until God delivers me from the nagging sin I can’t seem to conquer?

God’s timing; not ours. God’s plan; not ours. Our heads get it, but our hearts still struggle. Let’s also declare with David, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:14). 

Lord, give us strength to trust your timing for our lives.