Good things come…

Wait-loss.  A cultural phenomena of our modern society.  We are addicted to vending machines, fast-food and anything that gives us rapid satisfaction.  Perhaps worse, we feel entitled to it.  The idea of waiting for anything is repugnant.

Maybe you’ve read that meme where the author is horrified they had a salad sandwich instead of a meat pie for lunch and didn’t come close to losing a kilogram.  Apparently even ‘weight-loss programs’ suffer from wait-loss syndrome.  Have you heard of the new product “Dehydrated Water”?  Just add water to an empty glass and there it is.  Instant water!  You don’t even need to stir it!

How about this prayer?  “God grant me patience… but I want it now!!!”  I guess it’s similar with many of our prayers (or hopes, dreams, and goals).  Waiting for the resolution can be so difficult.  But what if there’s beauty in slowing down?  Enjoying the process?  That feeling of immense satisfaction of working toward an end result?

A well known adage is ‘good things come to those who wait’.  My favourite ancient book of wisdom says, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.”  Perhaps that rare jewel we call ‘delayed gratification’ could also be called ‘delayed gratitude’?  We are often so much more thankful for those things that took a little while longer.