The Peace We Long For: Advent in Disorienting Times | Day 13

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Peter 3:8-9

Patience, while a virtue, is not something that many of us have this time of year. Sure, we can stand in line for the latest Apple product or camp overnight for the newest Starbucks cup, but when we are made to wait against our will, are we really content to do so?

The reason for picking these two verses from an 18-verse passage was to focus on timing. Sometimes it feels like there isn’t enough time in the day. Like, this can’t be the same 24 hours that celebrities have. Between work and home, school and church, there is barely any time to focus on oneself. The Christmas season is even worse because there are vacations and kids out of school, and even just shopping to beat everyone else to the presents everyone wants. When is it a good time to zero in on personal needs?

In the book Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne writes, “Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there someday.”

The good thing about God is that he always has your needs in mind. Before you were a thought in your parents’ minds, he knew all of you. Your needs, your wants, your everything.

Sometimes it can feel like no one is focusing on us, that no one cares about how we think, but God’s timing is different. He comes in to help us with our needs at the right time. 

That is why this passage was picked. It may seem like promises, or even just the focus, are not coming to you at the right time. The same way that God has patience with us, we need to have it with him.

The timing that you are seeing in your head might not be what you need, just what you think you want. Keeping your relationships with God and loved ones can help you to find what you need and center yourself on YOU! 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for allowing me space to find my timing and granting me the patience to trust in yours.