Patience: The One Thing You Can't Get on Amazon

How to build patience with God's help in a world where it feels unnatural to slow down

Author

Anchored in Faith
August 03, 2025

Anchor of the Week

“The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.”
— Ecclesiastes 7:8 (NIV)

The Problem With Patience (And the Algorithm)

I don’t know about you, but I struggle a lot with patience. Patience is hard. Like, really hard. And let’s be honest, the world isn't exactly making it easier. We live in a culture that worships speed. A video loads slowly? You swipe. Someone doesn’t text back in five minutes? You think, “What’s taking so long?” And forget about standing in a long line. No thanks, I’d rather go to the dentist.

We can open any social media platform nowadays and get five-second life hacks, ten-second “transformations,” and thirty-second success stories, so it’s no wonder that our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter, and our patience is less and less. But here’s the truth no one’s telling you: all of that took time. Time we didn’t see.

I’ve met some very patient people throughout my life, and I’ve lived with one of the most inpatient men I’ve ever met as well (God bless you, honey). But the facts are this: no matter how patient you are, we all struggle with patience in some way.

We chase comfort, satisfaction, and relief in the quickest way possible. We have been trained that way. Especially here in America. Hurry up should be America’s middle name.

But at the root of all this impatience is a deep craving. It’s a craving for results, relief, and answers. We want to feel satisfaction. But we need to understand (myself included) that we will never be satisfied by the world because the world can’t give us what we’re really craving. Only God can. What’s the point? We weren’t made to be satisfied by anything less than the Creator Himself.

So How Do We Become More Patient?

Well, if we could buy patience, that would be a pretty quick fix, right? Unfortunately, patience takes time, and yes, patience. Patience is developed over time. And it starts when we stop moving so fast, when we quit chasing shortcuts and start showing up for God instead. I used to be a lot less patient than I am today, and I got there through meditation.

About 10 years ago, I was really sick. I was constantly anxious and struggling in my life. I knew I didn’t want to be on medication, so I turned to meditation as a natural treatment. It helped me slow down and become less anxious, but I always felt like I was missing something.

I was not a Christian at the time; I considered myself “spiritual,” but the more I went down this “spiritual” path, the more I realized I was doing it all wrong. I was calming my breath but not feeding my soul. I was practicing regularly, but not experiencing true peace. I was missing God, I was missing Jesus. I was missing The way. The truth. The life.

It was when I started inviting God into that space, into my breath, into my heart, that everything shifted. I didn’t just feel better. I felt loved and held. And as I spent more and more time with Him, something unexpected grew: patience.

When we seek God, everything falls into place. Peace, Patience, and our craving for more is finally satisfied. Deuteronomy 31:6 tells us this, “For the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

That’s why this week. Instead of offering a new meditation, I’m giving you something better, a full playlist of 60+ Christian meditations I want you to explore. Find one that speaks to you. One that slows you down for a few minutes and draws you closer to peace, patience…to God.

Prayer for the Week

Heavenly Father,

Please slow me down. When I’m chasing answers, help me seek You instead. When I want to skip the process, remind me that You’re in it. Teach me to wait well. To breathe deep. To believe that Your timing is better than my timeline. Fill the space between “now” and “not yet” with peace.

In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.

Biblical Story: Simeon – A Life Lived in Expectation

Simeon didn’t have a platform. He wasn’t known for miracles or sermons. But what he did have? Patience. Expectation. Faith.

He believed the Messiah would come in his lifetime, and he waited for years and years to see that promise fulfilled. The Bible says the Holy Spirit rested on him and led him to the temple on the very day Mary and Joseph brought Jesus in.

Simeon didn’t rush God's timing. He didn’t try to force a sign. He waited, faithfully, fully connected to God. And when the promise arrived, he recognized it.

He cradled Jesus in his arms and said, “Now, Lord, you may dismiss your servant in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation” (Luke 2:29-30).

That’s what happens when we live in patience, not panic, when we stay spiritually awake, when we crave God more than a quick fix.

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Final Thoughts

The world will tell us to hurry up already and that we’re behind. That success should be fast, happiness instantaneous, and everything convenient. But God works in layers. In silence. In time.

The more you slow down and seek Him, the more patient you’ll become, because you’re walking with the One who isn’t in a rush and is never late.

With grace and (a little more) patience,
Amber ❤️🙏🏻