Obsessed with Fast

People in our society are obsessed with speed.  We want fast food, fast internet hookup, fast response to questions, fast communication, and fast pain relief.  We want to lose weight fast, we want to get our news fast, we want wounds to heal fast, we want immediate solutions to problems, we want to make money fast, we want to learn how to play an instrument fast, and we want to get a loan fast.  We don’t’ like to wait in line at the grocery store or at the bank.  We go to a different gas station if there is a lineup at our favorite location.  If we have to wait a few seconds for our computer to boot up we head to the electronic store to get a newer faster one.

The problem is that fast is not always the solution to our difficulties. There are many things for which we have to wait such as time to get our driver’s license, for certain stores to open, for entering college, for the birth of a child, for the sun to come up, and for the seasons to change. None of these things come instantly, but require time and waiting.   Scripture suggests that we need to slow down.  The Bible says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Isaiah 46:10).  The Bible tells us to “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” (Psalm 27:14).   The Biblical instruction is to “Let all the earth be silent before him” (Habakkuk 2:20).   There is a time for silence.  There is a time for waiting.  Fast isn’t always the best.

When the Children of Israel had come out of Egypt they were anxious to celebrate the Passover.  But Moses was not in a hurry.  He said, “Wait, and I will listen to what the LORD will command concerning you” (Numbers 9:8).  The prophet Elijah was seeking the Lord, but he didn’t find him in that which was loud (like an earthquake) or that which was fast (like a raging fire).  Instead He found God in “a still small voice” (I Kings 19:12).  The next time you are anxious and want things “fast”, ask yourself, “What might I gain by waiting?  Wisdom?  Maturity?  A clearer sense of direction?  Waiting is good for us.  Are you willing to wait?