I remember before the lockdown taking a long drive with a friend of mine to check out a problem with a trust in which we were both trustees.
I enjoyed the drive and the comfortable car he took me in. He wasn’t driving, his driver was, and when we got stuck in a traffic jam, I saw him becoming impatient.
“Maybe this jam gives us time to catch up with each other?” And suddenly we realized we had extra time which could be well used in discussing other problems that needed sorting out.
You’ve heard it said, “Hurry up and wait!” But learning to wait calmly is an important part of living. In this age of high-speed connections and instantaneous results, it helps to remember that the Mayflower made its historic voyage across the Atlantic Ocean at about two miles per hour! Have you ever wondered how those early settlers occupied their time as they waited for their ship to reach?
Can you imagine once upon a time in the mid-1930s, when air travel was slow, “If you have time to spare, go by air,” was the popular expression of the day. Airliners were both slow and incapable of flying long distances.
Next time you miss a flight, think about her predicament and “hurry up and be patient”! The sooner you’re patient, the easier your life will become. When you’re patient, you can relax and enjoy the ride.
There is great benefit in learning to wait calmly and creatively. Here is a “waiting checklist” to test your waiting skills which I read about and am passing on to you: Do you expect delays, or do they catch you unawares? Do you anticipate those times when you are likely to have to wait? Do you calmly let your inner motor idle though others around you may be stripping their gears? Do you welcome unexpected delays as a gift of time, which can be used creatively?
Do you use the free time to plan ahead or quietly meditate (to get in touch with God who must be smiling as He waits for you to realize it’s His time)? Do you prepare for delays? Do you have work or entertainment handy when forced to wait? So ask yourself today if you making the most of your waiting time? We will never escape delays, but we can use them creatively. Now is the time to hurry up and be patient..!
