"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." (Romans 12:12)
There is next to nothing that we cannot have with a few clicks of a button. Is this really a bad thing? Hungry for your favorite food? The only decision you need to make is Grubhub or Doordash. Do you feel like shopping? Amazon is at your service. Looking for love? Dating apps come in all shapes and sizes. Contrary to what you might think, this is no sales pitch.
Patience is a virtue
Allowing one’s mind to believe that immediate satisfaction is the only way to survive is destructive. Fr. Joseph Esper, of Immaculate Conception Parish in Ira Township, reminds us, “Almost all of us need to grow in patience ... but most of us are in no particular hurry to do so.” It is understandable to want things to take place in a timely manner; waiting can feel like a waste of our valuable time in many respects. Being patient does not eliminate the wait. Rather, it allows the proper disposition that can make the wait fruitful. Whether you are waiting for an accepted offer on a house, waiting for a spouse, a reply from a recent job application, or even something as simple as your turn at the grocery store, being patient means inviting God to be present and help you grow in that moment or stage of life. “Patience is adjusting your time to God’s time,” Mother Angelica said.
Our life is not an hourglass
Each day has 24 hours, each hour has 60 minutes, and each minute has 60 seconds. How do you measure the value of each day? Is it by what you accomplish, how you feel, or what did or did not happen to you? Sometimes we think if we had more time, we could accomplish more, and in material situations that can be true. How much time do we waste wishing we had something else in front of us?
If you are single, longing for a spouse, this might be the right time to dive deeper into your relationship with God. If you are in a relationship, and want to take it to the next level but your partner is not ready, this is a great time to find ways that you can grow as a man or woman of God. If you are a parent, exhausted and hoping the next phase is easier, deepening your relationship with God can give you the strength and grace to appreciate where you are right now. Wherever you are, God wants to meet you there, in that place. God has so much to offer to each of us in every moment, every situation, and every stage of life. Trust God’s timing, “but do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day” (2 Peter 3:8).
'Its my money and I want it now'
Immediate access to things we need, want, or feel we deserve has created an unrealistic expectation for many aspects of life. William Shakespeare reminds us, “Expectation is the root of all heartache.” Feeling entitled to all your desires or wants, even needs, being met in an immediate and convenient fashion is not real. This false sense of reality has created a sense of urgency in our minds, hearts and bodies. We place value in convenience and accessibility, and we question God’s faithfulness to us when we do not get what we want.
God calls us to greatness
The sense of urgency we create in our own hearts, minds and bodies hurts us. God offers us so much more in one moment than anyone or anything can offer in a lifetime. God understands your desire for love, peace and joy, and wants to gift you with those things. When we turn to things of this world for those desires to be filled, because we want them filled now, we are saying "no" to God’s presence. If you find yourself seeking comfort in relationships, food, porn, alcohol, or other things of this world instead of seeking God, consider the words of Pope Benedict XVI: “The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.”
Mary Morasso is a mother and parishioner of SS. Cyril and Methodius Parish in Sterling Heights. She holds a bachelor's degree in pastoral theology from Sacred Heart Major Seminary and has taught theology at the high school level.
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