In life, patience is not something that comes easily to us. We jump the gun on most issues and we question God's judgement and timing; trying to take matters into our own hands. We convince ourselves that everything happens for a reason and that every opportunity/person/situation has been the chosen one from God. We are conditioned in our society to think that everything must be given to us instantly... much like the McDonalds #3 meal that was handed to us in the drive-thru window. We want instant answers, instant love, instant success, and instant comfort. It is like watching the news. A tragedy happens and within minutes, the world is waiting for expert advice (even when the experts are not ready to dish out their thoughts). Some things are better when they are analyzed and waited out, rather than given in super speedy time. The Bible says in Philippians 4:6, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
As someone who has struggled with learning patience and getting over anxiousness, I urge you to learn how to wait. I am notorious for trying to plan my own life path and for fitting other people into what I think will make a perfect scenario. I spent much of my senior year of high school trying to fit into a role that I thought would please others. The life I was creating for myself would have been comfortable and I would have been content, however; I never would have experienced things for myself or lived a life filled with the things I am passionate for. I panicked, and in my own stupid human flesh, I tried to alter God's plan for my life. I was forgetting Philippians 4:6. I tried to put my desires and concerns in front of what the Wonderful Creator had planned for me.
As of today, I can say that I am trying harder to listen to what God has planned for me. I've learned a lot from Philippians 4:6 and reader, you should too. I had to dissect the scripture and learn valuable lessons from it. The first lesson was this: I was being anxious about EVERYTHING, when Christ simply says to not do that. He says to let it go.
The second lesson is this: Pray, but do it while praising God and thanking him for the things that are going right in life. A lot of times, as a selfish human, I tend to just reach out to God when things aren't going my way. I beg Him to fix my situation and I totally forget to let Him know that I am happy with things in my life!
The third lesson is this: Tell God about your problems in life. I struggle with this so much. I get so overwhelmed in my worldly life and I forget to pray. I let the baggage bog me down and I become lethargic, sappy, and emotional. The scripture says that this isn't necessary behavior, all I should be doing is telling God what I am worried about.
My prayer for the anxious person reading this is that you can learn to let go of that feeling that binds you and holds you back. I pray that you learn to pray, and give incredible thanks to the one who created you for such a wonderful life. Lastly, I pray that you learn to talk to God like a friend. Present the problems of your life to Him; much like you would to your best pal over a cup of coffee. God cares so deeply for you and wants you to feel comfort in your life. Take time in life to use this guide for prayer while waiting for an answer. Rather than jumping the gun, pray to God and continually ask for guidance. Do not lose sight of dreams and goals. Keep God at the center. Remember this... when all else fails just "let go and let God," because he has your back every step of the way.
