Sometimes I get impatient. It seems like the current season of my life is moving too slow. I see the season of life that others are in and get a little jealous, wishing I was in that season. I’m also overly anxious to move into the next season as soon as I enter a new one. It’s no secret the attention span of our world is diminishing every day. We have instant everything. News is delivered in 30 second sound bites and 140 characters at a time. No wonder we have become an impatient generation. We are becoming more selfish by the hour. We want what we want, and we want it now!
In the midst of thinking about Christmas and all that it means, I had a thought that smacked me square in the face. Jesus came to save the world by dying on the cross. In one moment, He exercised all of His magnificent power to redeem His creation and wipe away our sin. That power always existed within Him. His mission was known to Him from the time of His human birth. Yet He humbled Himself in the most extreme manner possible. He made Himself dependent on those He had created for His every need. Despite all His power, He could not feed or care for Himself in anyway.
All the years Jesus was growing up, He knew His destiny. He knew He would become a great teacher, leader, miracle-worker, and ultimately savior of the entire world. Jesus knew; yet He waited. Despite knowing all things, He submitted to the tutelage of His parents and the religious leaders of His day. Even though He created the entire world, Jesus patiently learned the trade of a carpenter from His father. How many earthly pleasures did Jesus actively deny Himself throughout adolescence because He knew His mission was bigger than any of that?
The life of Christ was no different from any other person growing up in that time. His friends all had dreams and ambitions, and they no doubt pursued them. All the while, Jesus stood on the sidelines. How much must He have wanted to hurry the process along and demonstrate His authority and power? How many times did He desire to stand up and proclaim He was the Son of God? He knew His mission and how very important it was. Yet He remained quiet, humble, and patient.
How often do we try and rush the plans of God? We are far more likely to try and run ahead than we are to sit and be still in His presence. Most of us do not know what God will ultimately do through our lives, but we all know we play a definite role in bringing His Kingdom to earth. We must always work in this moment to glorify Him, while at the same time not be too anxious to move on. Make sure you are squeezing all of the Heaven you can out of this season before impatiently rushing into the next.