Patience… or the Lack Thereof

Dr. Nick’s Reflections: Patience… or the Lack Thereof
“Lord, give me patience… but hurry up.”

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been great with patience.

Sure, I pretend to be. I nod politely when the drive-thru line is long. I smile when the elevator stops at every floor. I scroll aimlessly while waiting on hold. But beneath the surface? I’m tapping my metaphorical foot, shouting internally, “Can we MOVE this along?”

We live in a culture that doesn’t exactly encourage patience. Everything is now. Fast food. Two-day shipping. Instant answers from the internet. We’ve trained ourselves to believe that waiting is a waste—that discomfort is something to escape, not sit with.

But here’s the truth: patience isn’t passive. It’s not about doing nothing. It’s not weakness. Patience is strength wrapped in stillness. It’s choosing grace over control. It’s trusting that the timing isn’t wrong just because it isn’t ours.

And yet… it’s hard. Especially when you’re waiting on something that really matters.

Waiting for a diagnosis.
Waiting for a door to open.
Waiting for healing.
Waiting for clarity.
Waiting for someone to finally understand you.
Waiting for the next to arrive when you’re so over the now.

Impatience usually shows up with a side of anxiety and a sprinkle of fear. It whispers, “This should’ve happened by now.” Or worse, “Maybe it’s never going to happen.” And in those moments, we don’t just grow restless—we start to question ourselves, our worth, even our purpose.

But what if the waiting isn’t wasted?
What if the in-between is the place where something deeper is growing—something we can’t always see in real-time?

Patience, as frustrating as it is, teaches us things we’d never learn in the fast lane. It slows us down enough to hear our own thoughts. It sharpens our focus. It humbles our pride. It invites us to trust when nothing feels certain. It reveals what we cling to—and what we might need to let go of.

It’s easy to be calm when everything’s going our way. It’s easy to be kind when life is moving at our pace. But real patience? It’s forged in the slow, uncomfortable spaces. The ones we’d rather skip.

And maybe that’s the whole point.

Because life doesn’t always move according to our schedule. People don’t always respond how we want. Growth doesn’t happen overnight. Healing takes time. Answers don’t always come with a tracking number.

But that doesn’t mean nothing’s happening.
It just means something’s becoming.

So if you’re in a season of waiting, of delay, of “hurry up and wait,” I see you. I know it’s frustrating. I know it’s exhausting. But I also know you’re growing—even if it doesn’t feel like it right now.

Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to others who are also trying to navigate their own pace.
And remember: you can be honest about your impatience while still practicing patience. That’s not hypocrisy—it’s humanity.

You don’t have to love the wait.
But you can learn in it.

And eventually, you’ll look back and realize—the waiting didn’t break you. It built you.

— Dr. Nick
Still learning to slow down… and trust the process.