God's Patience and Our Idols

Today while listening to Acts, I found myself reflecting on God's incredible patience with us. How often do I make idols out of good things—like the desire for marriage—and grow impatient with God's timing?

Isaiah 30:18 beautifully captures God's nature: "Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!"

Making anything other than God our ultimate source of fulfillment creates an idol. As Exodus 20:3 commands, "You shall have no other gods before me." Even good desires—for marriage, career success, or children—can become idols when we believe we can't be content without them.

Looking back on times I've been impatient with God's timing, I cringe at how I must have appeared—like a child having a tantrum when a loving parent knows what's best. Psalm 37:7 counsels us: "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him."

The beautiful paradox is that when we release our grip on our desires and surrender them to God, we find peace. As Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

God's delays aren't denials; they're invitations to deeper trust. His patience with our impatience is truly remarkable. As 2 Peter 3:9 reminds us, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."