Waiting and knowing…
Are you willing to wait? Can I put you on hold for a few minutes? These are questions asked in restaurants, or on the phone by customer service rep. Do you like waiting? Me… it depends.. is it worth waiting for? How long do I need to wait? Time and the value of what/who I’m waiting for must be proportionate to each other. The longer the wait, the more valuable the outcome.
Waiting is easier for me if I know when the wait will be over. The digital display on stoplights tells waiting time. I like to ask my driver. San ka na? (where are you?) And it’s frustrating to hear ‘Malapit na!’ (near) Saan? (where?) Malapit is relative. And when time is of the essence, malapit to arrive in 5 minutes is not the same as malapit to arrive in 5 seconds.
Time: In our fast-paced world, people like instant! Instant coffee, cup noodles, quick-cook meals, fast lane, express counter/delivery.. We also want efficiency for things to work smoothly according to plans.
Plans: We plan based on what we know. Plans guide us, giving assurance and security. Uncertainty makes us feel unstable. Hence, there’s ‘Fear of the unknown.’
Patience is a virtue, more than waiting in time; more than enduring in knowledge. It is holding on to my tongue – slow to speak, to my temper – slow to be angry. It is keeping calm by being quick to listen. Slow or fast – when to hurry and when to tarry? It takes wisdom to differentiate. Often, patience or lack of it determines outcome of choices in life. A patient person waits with a good attitude not knowing when the wait will be over.
10 years ago, I had ankle surgery in between my mom’s passing and my dad’s grave illness. It was a challenging time in my life. I wanted to get better faster. I wanted to know when I could walk again. When.. when .. when.. As I reflected on my daily progress, each little step I took with my left foot, gave me hope. From swelling to healing, from sitting to standing, from hopping to shuffling.. from strength to strength.. God held my hands. It is not just the end but the means – a process. Each tiny step gave me hope. It exercised my faith. Then I discovered that waiting and knowing is hoping and believing.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.