Slow and steady wins the race. — Aesop (550 BC), The Hare and the Tortoise
Patience is difficult for anyone, but for writers, it can feel especially tough. We’re not just waiting on results. We’re waiting on clarity, direction, and timing—and sometimes confirmation that what we’re doing even matters.
What makes patience so hard is that we usually don’t know how long we’ll have to wait or what exactly we’re waiting for. When God is involved, the uncertainty often increases. Yet Scripture consistently teaches that waiting on the Lord is never wasted time.
The Two Faces of Impatience
Impatience rarely announces itself plainly. It usually shows up in one of two ways:
- Passive Impatience: doing nothing while quietly complaining. We feel stuck, so we disengage. Writing slows. Discipline fades. Discouragement grows. Time feels heavy because it’s empty.
- Active Impatience: rushing ahead of God’s timing. Scripture gives us a clear warning through Abraham, who tried to “help” God fulfill his promise by acting prematurely. The result was long-term pain and complications.
True patience is neither lazy nor reckless. It is active, faithful waiting—continuing to act upon what we already know while trusting God with what we don’t know.
Active Waiting
Biblical patience isn’t about sitting still. It’s about staying faithful.
Here’s what active waiting looks like:
- Obeying what God has already shown you to do.
- Learning from the past instead of resenting it.
- Anticipating God’s promises without trying to force them.
- Staying engaged with today’s assignments so time doesn’t drag.
This means we continue to write, revise, read, learn, and practice—even when the “next step” hasn’t been revealed. Many times, God gives direction after obedience, not before.
Fixed Timelines
Not everything is flexible. Some things are fixed in time, whether we like it or not. The end of the month will arrive. Seasons will change. And Christ’s final victory is already settled.
Our waiting doesn’t change God’s schedule—but it does shape us.
Scripture reminds us that God works within time with perfect wisdom, weaving even delays into good outcomes. When we trust his timing, we discover that waiting is preparation, not punishment.
Our Source of Strength
One of the great paradoxes of faith is that waiting renews strength instead of draining it. When we wait on ourselves, we grow tired. When we wait on circumstances, we grow anxious. But when we wait on the Lord, we draw from the only well that never runs dry.
When we feel weak—mentally, emotionally, or spiritually—waiting on God strengthens our connection to the power needed for our writing efforts. That’s why Scripture likens patient trust to eagles rising on renewed wings.
The Cold Pot
Patience doesn’t mean staring at a cold pot and hoping the water will boil. We turn on the heat and do what’s necessary while we wait.
Here’s how we turn up the heat:
- Praying without ceasing, not just occasionally.
- Seeking God’s direction before seeking validation.
- Sharpening skills instead of killing time.
- Preparing quietly for doors that haven’t opened yet.
Waiting well means getting ready, not just getting older.
Consequence of Impatience
When we refuse to wait:
- We substitute God’s best with something immediate but inadequate.
- We mislabel “going our own way” as obedience.
- We arrive early to places that God hasn’t prepared yet.
Everything God has for us is worth both pursuit and patience. The two are partners, not enemies.
One Faithful Step at a Time
Waiting on God doesn’t require perfect understanding. But it does require faithful movement. So we ask … listen … look … trust … and take the next right step. God rarely shows the whole path at once. He leads us one step at a time—often just far enough to keep us dependent, attentive, and humble.
While we may not have tomorrow’s answers, we do have today. And today is where God invites us to walk with him, prepare our craft, and partner with him to achieve whatever he wants to accomplish.
So don’t quit, rush ahead, or sit frozen in frustration. Do the next small, faithful thing in front of you. Write while you wait. Prepare while you trust. Let patience and persistence work together as proof that you believe God is doing something—even though you can’t see it yet.
Writers who trust the Lord will find strength in him. They’ll be like eagles with spread wings, soaring on the wind. They’ll be like the runner who has the stamina to finish the race or the hiker who won’t faint when the climbing gets tough. — Isaiah 40:31 Scripture for Writers
Patiently Writing
I wanted it now—not later. Not sometime when.
I tapped on my desk and click-clicked my pen.
“Why must I wait?” I said with a huff and a sigh,
While the minutes marched and time slipped by.
I stared at the clock like a pot that was cold,
“Come on,” I said. “Boil! Do what you’re told.”
But pots don’t boil when you glare and pout—
You must turn on the heat, without a doubt.
Some folks will idly sit and complain all day.
Others drive in a speed-limit-breaking way.
But patience as we write is neither extreme.
We walk with God while we work and dream.
Abraham once hurried God’s promise along,
He meant well, but boy, did it ever go wrong.
When timing is forced, things twist and collide,
And trouble moves in for an impatient ride.
Some dates are fixed, like the end of the year,
And Christ’s final win? That day is surely near.
Your waiting won’t change what God’s has in place,
But it will shape your heart and strengthen your pace.
So write while you’re waiting. Pray, listen, and prepare.
Keep your hands on the keyboard. Just type. Don’t stare.
Each paragraph finished, though humble and small,
Is God gently saying, “You’re right on the call.”
For all that God gives is worth waiting with yearning,
With trust in your steps and a heart that keeps learning.
So keep on marching while you wait. Don’t freeze.
A patient walk with him can be a rewarding breeze.
For a practical guide to storytelling, check out Storytelling at Its Best
