Everything In Its Season

Patiently waiting until just the right time is something that is very difficult for most people.  When we want something to happen, we want it now.  This natural tendency is further exacerbated by a culture that is focused on "the now" and "just do it."  Delayed gratification is an idea so foreign to our society that many don't understand the concept.

The photo above, which was taken yesterday, is of the wild persimmons ripening in one of the many persimmon trees that are scattered about our place.  The crop this year is sparse, unlike last year when every tree was loaded.  The fruit is just beginning to ripen but is still very astringent due to high tannin levels.  You must wait until it is completely softened or, it will pucker your mouth like alum.

Once the fruit is ripe to the point the flesh becomes quite tasty, it will fall to the ground and is coveted by many animals that feast on it and scatter the seeds far and wide in their scat.  If you want to harvest some for eating you have to be patient yet, ready to move quickly or the opportunity will be lost.

It seems a lot of things in life are that way.  I suspect it is God's way of teaching us patience but, also, to be prepared and ready when the time is right.  A couple of Bible verses come to mind:

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven...." -- Ecclesiastes 3:1

"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage -- with great patience and careful instruction." -- 2 Timothy 4:2

It's a difficult thing -- to be both patient and vigilantly ready.  Opportunity, though, is something that requires such an attitude.  We've all heard that "timing is everything" and I believe that to be at least somewhat true.  Many pioneers fail.  They get so far out ahead of the pack that they find themselves alone and unable to capitalize on the venture.  The thread linking them to everyone else snaps and they become lost in the wilderness.  (Lots of metaphors here.)  A pioneer isn't really showing the way if they are so far out of sight that no one can follow them.

As I think about this concept of waiting until the timing is right, many examples pop into my head.  In business it could apply to a new product that shouldn't be introduced until people are prepared to accept it.  It might mean that if you are contemplating a career change you shouldn't jump at the first job that comes along, but wait until the "right" one is available.  If you are shopping for a new home you shouldn't "settle" for the one that perhaps is "almost" what you are looking for but, hold out for just the right one.  If you are picking fruit, pick the ripe ones rather than those that need a little more time.

Be patient, but be prepared.  It sounds a little bit like a scout motto, but it is good advice.  I think patience is difficult but, being prepared can sometimes be more so because we tend to be lulled to complacency and lose our sense of expectation.  I desire a life filled with both. 

Being Patient

Being patient can sometimes be the most difficult work one can do.  Our natural tendency is to want things to happen quickly once we see a course of action.  Allowing the time for things to take their natural path to conclusion can be stressful.  Stress is draining, just like physical labor.  It makes us tired and often, irritable.  Waiting is hard for most of us.

Many things through the years have forced me to be patient.  I suppose that is an interesting choice of words -- forced.  It seems the antithesis of patience.  Enforced waiting would be a better way to describe the situation.  The result is learning to accept that there are times when we must allow events to occur in the correct sequence in order to obtain the desired results.

Impatience is the opposite of faith.

Faith is believing that events will unfold according to a plan that is often beyond our comprehension while accepting that the result will be what is most desirable.  Face it, we are not omniscient, nor are we able to control everything that can affect events leading to a desired outcome.  Sometimes, our lack of knowledge obscures the fact that what we desire may not be truly desirable.  Things don't always turn out to our expectations.  Once again, it is the journey, not the destination.

I believe one of the most important areas of growth for a Christian is faith.  We must learn to accept that God is in control and knows what is best for each one of us.  We must also accept that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose."  That is the key -- His purpose.  In choosing to place our faith in Him we choose the position of adopted son, or daughter.  It is a subordinate position, yet a favored one.  He has our best interest in mind, just as we desire the best for our own children.

Patience is faith.

The passage of time is merely our arbitrary measurement of our lack of faith.

On the Line

Have you ever tried helping someone over the telephone to solve a problem that they are having with their computer? My mother does an amazing job getting around her computer but she has only learned to do so in the last ten years or less. Sometimes, when things don't work as they should, she calls me to try and help her over the telephone. It can be a frustrating thing for both of us. For me, because I can't see exactly what she sees so that I will know what to do, and for her because she can describe what she sees to me, but I don't seem to understand. It comes down to terminology usually. The words we use may not have the same meaning to each of us.

I discovered computers my freshman year in college. The very first personal computers were just being introduced, so most of my early exposure was to punch cards. Computers have come a long way since then. The personal computers we have today are very user friendly compared to what we had then. We had to write programs to do the most basic tasks. To add a column of numbers would take a program composed of several punched cards, plus a data deck containing a card for each number that we wanted to add together. If the cards were out of order, or if there was a mistake on a card, you didn't know until you ran the program and got the results stating there was an error. Then you had to sort through the deck until you found the card with the mistake that caused the program to fail, fix it, and then run the program again. The next time, a different error might cause the program to fail. Then you would go back through the process of fixing the error before trying again.

In a way it was a little like helping Mom to fix her computer over the telephone. Sometimes there is trial and error for several iterations before we figure out what to do to resolve the issue. It can be a test of patience for both of us.

I wonder sometimes if that's the way God feels toward us. He tells us what we should do, but we sometimes don't seem to understand. Or, perhaps we don't think that the answer He gives us could be correct, so we do what we think instead. He doesn't give up on us though. He stays on the line listening to us describe what is going on and how we need it fixed. Sometimes I don't think we listen to His answers. Especially when they don't fit our idea of the solution. I'm glad that He hangs in there with us. I know that I couldn't get through without Him.