There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

In a world that operates on instant gratification and constant acceleration, this verse from Ecclesiastes serves as a gentle but firm reminder of a divine principle: God’s timing is perfect, and it is often unhurried. The advent season, with its long history of waiting, longing, and patient expectation, is a powerful antidote to our modern impatience. We are trained to expect immediate results—a two-day delivery, an instant download, a quick fix for every problem. But the Christmas story itself unfolds at a deliberate, measured pace, spanning centuries of prophecy and culminating in an event that was, by human standards, anything but rushed. The Magi, for example, traveled a great distance, likely over a month-long journey, to see the newborn King.

This passage from Ecclesiastes invites us to practice the patience of divine timing and embrace God’s pace, which is often slower than our own. It teaches us that our task is not to rush ahead of God or force a timeline, but to accept that there is a right season for every activity. Just as God set a perfect time for the birth of His Son, He has a perfect plan unfolding in your life, even when it feels like a period of waiting or stillness. Practicing patience is an act of faith, a conscious choice to trust that the One who controls the seasons and the flow of history knows what He is doing. It allows us to find rest and peace in the midst of our own personal timelines, knowing that God is at work, orchestrating His perfect will for us.

Practice waiting patiently in a small situation today (e.g., in traffic or a queue) and use that moment to pray for perspective.

Questions for Reflection

1. Where in your life do you feel the most impatient right now, and what specific timeline are you trying to force?

2. What small, daily situation can you intentionally use as an opportunity to practice waiting on God's timing today?

3. How might the gift of patience allow you to find greater peace and freedom this Christmas season?