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But we all know waiting isn’t like that; it’s not exciting, it’s frustrating. Have you ever broken a limb and had to spend ages sitting around doing nothing? The waiting is a pain (literally), not a joy. Even Advent calendars in the run up to Christmas are only tolerable because of the promise of a chocolate, or a small picture of a shepherd, behind each window. Perhaps it’s a product of our ‘instant’ culture. We can download movies, songs or games whenever we want; our friends are available to chat at the touch of a button; our entire cultural lives revolve around our timetable. So when we have to wait, we don’t like it. But some things in life happen in their own time; people take ages to get better, if they ever do get better, relationships don’t mend, that job never appears – real life isn’t as instant as the internet makes out
.• Are you a patient person?
• Are there things you’ve had to wait for recently, or things you’re still waiting for? What were they?
• How did you act while you were waiting?
It feels like God acts really slowly sometimes. That prayer never gets answered, that person doesn’t meet Jesus, that terminally ill person dies. We’re promised the fullness of God’s kingdom, but waiting for it is really, really difficult, especially when the rest of the world doesn’t wait for anything
• Have you had to wait for God? What were you waiting for?
• Why do you think God doesn’t instantly give us what we ask for?
• If you were God, would you give everyone what they want?
Read Psalm 37:7-9 and Matthew 6:25-34.
• What do you think these passages tell us?
• Do you think people who don’t know God sometimes get what they want quicker?
• Do you worry a lot?
• Do these passages impact what you think about waiting for God?
