IT'S 4:15 a.m. and I'm at the airport waiting for my boarding call. I got here two hours ago from a five-hour bus ride on a premium deluxe bus that left Baguio City at 9 p.m. last night. The trip was quick as there was no traffic to speak of. On an ordinary day, a bus ride from Baguio City to the NAIA terminal would take around seven to eight hours. Taking a night trip is a good alternative to avoid rush hour traffic and be at your preferred destination early. This trip, however, brought me in a little too early, I think.
Waiting, in itself, is a challenge. In the wee hours of the morning, there isn't much to do except, perhaps, to tinker with your electronic gadgets and find a suitable site to visit. I see a lot of other waiting passengers focused on their mobile phones taking control of their avatars and hoping to destroy the enemy's base. I am really amused at how people of all ages easily get hooked to the game.
In today's world, something "worthwhile" to do has been dominated by the internet, e.g. e-mails, Facebook, Facetime, IG, online games, video calls, spotify, etc. The old school habit of reading a book, or even prayer and meditation, has sadly found the backseat.
Waiting is synonymous to patience. Patience (or forbearance) refers to the ability to endure difficult circumstances such as perseverance in the face of delay; tolerance of provocation without responding in annoyance or anger; or forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. Patience is the level of endurance one can have before negativity. It is also used to refer to being steadfast.
Sometimes, it is very difficult to be patient. When we're faced with a lot of challenges, we can grow tired of waiting. We can begin to feel like our prayers are falling on deaf ears. Often our desire is to take control and just "do the best we can."
Waiting is a common experience. There is plenty of encouragement in the Bible, and in the internet, concerning our need for patience. The New Bible Dictionary defines patience as "God-given restraint in the face of opposition or oppression."
Patience is only necessary in the face of opposition. This is why seeking patience is in many senses a battle. The promise we can lean on is that patience is God-given restraint, not something we are to produce in our own strength. The Lord is the one who provides us with spiritual armor to go into battle. Our only responsibility is to trust that God will provide the strength to hold on, and then act accordingly to our faith in that promise.
"Infuse your life with action. Don't wait for it to happen. Make it happen. Make your own future. Make your own hope. Make your own love. And whatever your beliefs, honor your creator, not by passively waiting for grace to come down from upon high, but by doing what you can to make grace happen... yourself, right now, right down here on Earth." -- Bradley Whitford
"I believe that a trusting attitude and a patient attitude go hand in hand. You see, when you let go and learn to trust God, it releases joy in your life. And when you trust God, you're able to be more patient. Patience is not just about waiting for something... it's about how you wait, or your attitude while waiting." -- Joyce Meyer