“Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.”—1 Corinthians 1:7, NIV
The danger of our hyper-connected lives sounds like a prescription drug warning: Side effects include the need for instant gratification and loss of patience.
Patience.
The believers in Corinth were encouraged and commended for “eagerly” waiting. But patiently waiting doesn’t resonate with our culture today. We have grown accustomed to the faster the better. The demand for instant everything has crept into every area of our lives.
Smartphone apps eliminate the need to wait for a ride, a date, or a table at your favorite restaurant. We can access news, banks accounts, school, and work accounts—everything is fast and instant.
We expect things so quickly that we can’t wait for a few seconds for a movie to load or the internet to move to the next story or page.
Be honest. Have you ever yelled at your phone, computer, or iPad?
Yet, the supernatural and Spirit-filled life is, and always has been, filled with waiting, longing, and hope. Abraham was promised a Messiah, and his people waited for some two thousand years. Those who didn’t recognize Him still wait! Our generation has already waited nearly two thousand years for the Messiah’s return.
We wait for answered prayers. We wait for answers to our “why?” questions. We hope for and anticipate God’s blessings.
“You do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait,” the apostle assures us.
One of those spiritual gifts is patience. Moments of yearning and waiting with patience help us grow in understanding and appreciation of the ways of the Lord. Patience, in some translations, is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, NLT).
The presents under the tree fill children (and grown ups) with anticipation and suspense. When they are finally opened, what joy explodes as wrapping paper and ribbons are torn off and flung aside! What joy to the giver and the receiver!
And as we grow older, we discover that the greater joy is in being the giver of gifts.
So our Heavenly Father views us. He loves to bestow His spiritual gifts to us, and He makes sure we lack nothing. He also blesses us for waiting, and gives us the gift of patience.
“Biblically, waiting is not just something we have to do until we get what we want. Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be.”– John Ortberg
