Vol. 21 No. 04 | January 28, 2019
Traffic delays. Flight delays. Package delivery delays…
No one likes delays, especially when they are because of someone else’s lack of planning or poor judgment.
Most of us don’t plan for delays, just like the airline attendants didn’t plan for my delayed flight.
But delays are inevitable, right? And the sooner we accept this, the easier it will be to make the best of the situation for everyone involved.
As my fellow travelers and I waited for our flight to leave the terminal (interesting name for a place where we are always waiting), we each had different reactions. Some used the time to get work done, some found a place on the floor for a nap…and some grew increasingly irritated. The latter passed the time repeatedly complaining to the airline attendants, even though the flight crew was keeping us updated and were all extremely pleasant. I’m sure the crew was just as anxious to get us on our way, especially those who were complaining.
I think one of the keys to surviving delays without losing our sanity is to have something productive or fulfilling to do. For instance, if you have a child who is getting irritable because their playdate is late, maybe help them fill the time by playing a game, reading a book, or taking a walk. (Note: these activities are equally effective when we find ourselves annoyed and impatient because of delays.)
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I chose to dedicate this week’s topic on “delays” because, not only did it fill my time while I was waiting, but it also assured me that I won’t delay getting these words to my editor. And sure enough, when the wait was over, I felt more productive and less stressed than if I would have sat waiting impatiently or pacing the terminal fuming about the delay.
This experience actually reminded me of how those living in the time of Jesus must have felt as they waited for the arrival of the Messiah. We grow impatient over a ninety-minute flight delay, while people of faith endured four hundred years waiting for Him to appear.
And when He did finally arrive, it was not at all what His followers expected. He wasn’t a King who came to take control of the kingdom. He was a baby who would delay assuming his ministry for thirty years.
The first chapter of the gospel of John reminds us that when He arrived, He came to be with us, to dwell among us. The delay was long and difficult to endure, but it was certainly worth it.
The lesson is this: delays will happen, but they will also come to an end. And waiting for us will be family to greet us, entertaining things to do, projects that will be completed, and delicious meals shared with delightful people…proving once again, if we can learn to endure those “intolerable” delays a little while longer, they will be well worth the wait.
We can even go as far as considering our lives as a temporary delay that will eventually end in a reunion with our loved ones. And we will celebrate joyfully together in the presence of God. This too will definitely be worth the delay.
So, be patient, be productive, have some fun, and do what you can to make the experience better for yourself and those around you.
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