I would venture a guess that patience is one of the most significant stumbling blocks we encounter in our quest to trust and give our lives over to Jesus Christ. Think about the thing or things in your life right now that are causing you the most angst and worry. In the fast paced world we live in, we are used to getting what we want when we want it. Sort of a large scale Burger King “Have it your way” mentality. But that isn’t real life, and that isn’t a Christ-centered life.

There are a plethora of Biblical examples where the Lord required patience from His people. Abraham had to wait decades for the son God had promised him. Moses had to lead the impatient Israelites around in the woods for 40 years, and because he became impatient himself, He was never allowed to set foot in the promised land. The three wise men had to travel around 800 miles over the course of two years in order to reach Jerusalem and lay eyes on the Messiah. Time and time again, God insists on patience.

Have you ever watched a movie you’ve seen before with someone who hasn’t seen it, and constantly asks you what is going to happen next? But you don’t want to tell them, because you know how much better it will be for them to experience it one scene at a time, in the order intended by the one who created the story. It is the same thing for us in our lives. We are constantly worrying and asking God what is going to happen next and keeping our minds focused on all the “what if’s” Satan throws our way. Satan wants us to believe we need to know all the answers right now…he wants us to fret and worry about the unknowns, as opposed to being at peace because we choose to trust the unknowns to God.

I love the example of Abraham most when it comes to patience. God only gave him one step at a time, and would not give him the next step until he had taken the one before him with faith in God’s unknown plan. God expects the same of us today. We must always keep our focus on taking the step He has placed right in front of us, and not let our minds be clouded with steps that don’t even exist for us yet. It isn’t possible to leap from the bottom of a staircase to the top in order to see what is up there. We must climb one step at a time.

When we take time to consider the way Christ lived His life and the example He set during the course of His ministry on earth, we can see the one perfect example of patience in action. There were times when Christ’s disciples would try to hurry Him on to the next destination, sort of like a private security team moving a rock star from one location to the next, forcing Him through the throngs of people trying to get a mere glimpse of their Savior. However, Christ often had different plans. In the midst of a significant crowd, Jesus was aware of one specific hand of faith touching the hem of his garment, causing Him to stop where He was and seek out that hand. In spite of those around Him wanting to move things along, He knew it was right to stop and take time to give His attention to that one hand of faith.

In all of these examples, there is one single common thread: patience. It is the best example of faith we can offer our Heavenly Father. It is the way we tell Him we trust Him and we are willing to wait for Him, because we know that, in the end, what He has laid out for us will be better than anything we could lay out for ourselves. I think about when I am trying to do something simple in a hurry, like making a cup of coffee. When I am rushed, I am not paying close attention to the matter at hand, and I’ll often bump the corner of a wall or the cup will slip from my hand. So, in my rush to get the coffee ready and move on to the next thing, I end up delayed because I’m cleaning up a spill on the floor or tending to a burn left behind from the hot beverage.

As you go through your day today, pay attention to your mindset and the things you are focused on. Are you worry about things you can’t control? Are you paying attention to the step God has placed right in front of you, making sure you’re placing His will above your own, or are you wasting energy trying to figure out where the staircase leads? No matter what you are doing, make sure you are doing only that which is yours to do, and allowing God to take care of the rest. Find a way to let God know you trust Him today and are willing to wait for Him and His timing. That is the way we take hold of the peace He is extending to us every minute of every day.