Waiting While Moving Forward
The Third Step: Patience
Nugget of Wisdom
Faith isn’t only about bold action—it’s also about patient endurance. Sometimes God asks us to step forward while waiting for His timing. Patience nurtures growth that we cannot force.
Scripture Reflection
“But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”
— Romans 8:25
God’s timing is perfect, even when it feels slow. Faith that walks steadily, even in waiting, honors Him and allows His work to take root in our lives and in the lives of others.
Chaplain’s Whisper
The third step often tests our resolve. It’s easy to grow weary when results aren’t immediate. Yet patience isn’t passive—it is a quiet, faithful endurance, trusting God is shaping the story even when we cannot see it.
Anecdote
I remember growing restless while working in my small backyard garden.
I wanted the flowers to bloom by morning, the vegetables to sprout before the week was done.
I kept checking the soil, poking at the pots, hoping something would hurry up and grow.
Then I remembered the farmers — steady hands, slow steps, watering, waiting, humming old songs as they worked.
They weren’t in a rush. They trusted the rhythm of the earth.
Weeks later, I saw it: tiny green shoots pushing through the soil like quiet promises.
Not because I had willed them into being, but because they were ready.
That garden taught me more than I realized.
Ministry, healing, even hope — they all take time to root.
You don’t rush the soil.
You listen.
You wait.
You trust the process.
Wisdom Prompt
Where is God calling you to remain faithful, even when progress seems slow? How can patience become your prayer in action today?
Prayer
God of steadfast love,
Grant me patience as I follow You.
Help me trust Your timing and remain faithful when the results aren’t immediate.
May each small, patient step reveal Your work in my life and in the lives of others.
Amen.