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Are We There Yet?

By Sion Alford

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. —Romans 8:25 ESV

When my wife and I lived in Florida, we would take our children to Walt Disney World every February. The trip took about six hours, and for the three young and energetic kids we had at the time, it felt like a lifetime. Very early in the trip, we’d hear their squeaky little voices from the back seat of our minivan ask, “Are we there yet?!” Every 15 minutes like clockwork, they’d ask again: “Are we there yet?”

As the journey went on, our kids grew anxious and became easily upset with each other. By the time we reached the halfway point of our trip, they were fighting over a toy from McDonald’s. one was complaining that someone was touching him, and another was throwing French fries. What happened? They were tired of waiting and had lost their “patience.” They had lost perspective.

How could this have possibly happened? Somewhere along the journey, they forgot something—they forgot they were going to Walt Disney World! They cared more about the temporary discomfort of cohabiting in a minivan than they did about the amazing place they were going to visit. They wanted their current situation and circumstances to change immediately instead of recognizing that their temporary discomfort was for a purpose—to get them to their joyful destination!

The sound of their impatience escalated until what could be described as World War III broke out in the back seat. I did what all godly fathers do in situations like that—I calmly interrupted their childish tirades. I said, “Dearest children, please refrain from your provocative attitudes of disruption and protestations of injustice and remain composed and collected until we reach our final destination.” Ha! Not really! I actually grabbed the toy they were fighting over and yelled, “Whose toy is this?” “Mine!” cried two of the kids. Then, out of desperation, I held the toy out the car window (while going 70 miles per hour) and declared, “I am going to let this toy go if you guys don’t quit fighting over it!” My young daughter began crying while my eldest son declared, “Let it go, Dad! Let it go!” I obviously knew to whom the toy belonged, so I calmly returned it to my daughter.

Like any good pastor, I then took the opportunity to give a biblical life lesson about what just happened. I reminded them that God may allow us to experience difficult and uncomfortable situations on the way to our promised destinations. I also reminded them of the promise that was before us. I told them the journey was going to be worth the pain and temporary discomfort. We would get there. Magic Kingdom and Epcot were in their future. All they had to do to enjoy the trip was to embrace the journey and be patient.

Many people fail to realize that patience doesn’t begin working in our hearts until we’re irritated. Waiting for something and having patience are two different things. When we are waiting, we are simply pausing in expectation that the coming promise (answer to our prayers) is near and inevitable. Our waiting turns to patience when our expectations are not met and our timing is violated. In other words, when we get tired of waiting, that’s when patience begins!

There is a word for this process in the Bible: suffering. The apostle Paul wrote, “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance [patience], and endurance [patience]produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3–4 ESV). Painful waiting (suffering) has the by-product of patience, and patience has the by-product of character.

Jesus lived this way. He experienced more suffering than any other person who has ever lived. The author of Hebrews wrote, “Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” (Hebrews 12:1–3 MSG).

Jesus led the way for us. He plowed through the suffering. He knows that waiting will turn into patience, and patience will turn into character.

We will get there. The journey will be over one day, so maybe we can quit asking, “Are we there yet?” and start asking, “God, am I done yet?”

Prayer

Father, I desperately need the patience Jesus had when He walked in Your perfect will. I depend on Your grace as I allow Your character to develop in my heart. The waiting may be difficult at times, but I choose to trust in Your unfailing love. You have good plans for my life, and the desire of my heart is to be with You always. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

For Further Reflection

1. What are some “journeys” God is taking you on? Do you find yourself asking Him, “Am I there yet?”
2. Think of a time when your waiting had to turn into patience. How did you handle it, and what character lessons did you learn from it?