Patience (Not Ozokwor)

I’m going to be real with you, being patient is hard. Whether it’s waiting for a text back, sitting in Lagos traffic, dealing with slow internet speed, or wondering when life will finally make sense, patience is one of those things we all wish we had but don’t enjoy developing.

And yet, it’s a Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Meaning, it’s something God expects to grow in us, not something we magically wake up with.

But how do you stay patient when everything around you screams, “Do it now! Get it now! Why are you waiting?!”

Why Do We Even Need Patience?

Patience isn’t just about sitting still and waiting, it’s about trusting God’s timing when things aren’t going our way.

Think about Abraham. God promised him descendants as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5), but he had to wait 25 years before Isaac was born. David was anointed as king in his teenage years but didn’t take the throne until he was 30 (1 Samuel 16, 2 Samuel 5:4). Even Jesus, the Son of God, spent 30 years in preparation before starting His ministry.

Now, imagine if any of them had tried to rush God’s plan. Oh wait Abraham did try that, and we all know how the Ishmael situation turned out (Genesis 16).

Sometimes, when we try to “help” God by forcing things to happen on our terms, we end up making things harder for ourselves. That rushed relationship? That job you knew wasn’t right? That decision you made out of frustration? Yeah, patience could’ve saved you from that.

Patience Is Not Wasting Time

One of the biggest lies we believe is that waiting means wasting time. But James 1:4 says, “Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

The waiting season isn’t a punishment, it’s preparation. God isn’t making you wait just to frustrate you. He’s building something in you. Maybe it’s character. Maybe it’s wisdom. Maybe He’s protecting you from something you don’t even see yet.

 Here’s the truth: God is never late. He’s never too early. He’s always right on time.

How to Practice Patience (Even When It’s Hard)

1. Change your mindset – Instead of seeing waiting as a delay, see it as preparation. Ask, What is God trying to teach me in this season?

2. Pray for patience – But fair warning: when you ask God for patience, He’ll often put you in situations that require patience. 😭

3. Trust His timing – Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He makes everything beautiful in its time.” Not your time, not your friend’s time, HIS TIME

4. Stay faithful – Keep doing what God has called you to do while you wait. Don’t put your life on pause because you’re waiting for the “next big thing.”

Patience is tough and seems impossible to achieve , but the good news? You don’t have to figure it out alone. The Holy Spirit helps us grow in patience, even when we don’t feel like it.

So the next time you’re tempted to rush ahead, remember: God isn’t slow. He’s intentional. And when the time is right, everything will fall into place, no stress, no struggle, just perfect timing!