The Waiting Game

A few days ago, although I was in no real hurry, I found myself growing impatient while standing in line to return an Amazon™ package at a local UPS™ store.

Four people were ahead of me, and only one attendant was working to manage the flow of customers. As my irritation began to rise, I defaulted to a response I’ve learned over many years - though not without plenty of stumbling along the way - I silently prayed.

It took the edge off what was a trivial situation. More importantly, it helped me refocus on what mattered and quietly confront a simple question: Why the hurry?

This morning, I went for a walk at a nearby apple orchard as part of my post-operative physical therapy, continuing recovery from two knee replacement surgeries.

The trees had recently blossomed, and the process of producing a crop of apples is now visibly underway.

The trees are not in a hurry. They are waiting for their appointed time to flourish. They are not declaring, “The buds have blossomed – produce apples now.”

There is a process unfolding. It is one that includes an essential element we often resist – the passage of time.

Water, sunlight, and pruning all play critical roles in the cycle that eventually produces fruit.

In life, pruning is not an enjoyable process. But it is a necessary one.

An unpruned apple tree will still grow, but it often becomes overgrown, less fruitful, and more fragile.

Pruning is what transforms wild growth into intentional, fruitful growth.

Seasons of pruning are often seasons which can be labeled as the waiting game.

It is a time when visible results are delayed, yet meaningful growth is quietly taking place beneath the surface.

Personal pruning can feel like loss in the moment. Yet within it lies the promise of a bountiful harvest in due time.

“No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening - it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” (Hebrews 12:11 NLT)

If you’re anything like me, it’s easy to grow impatient during life’s waiting periods, whether brief or prolonged.

But there is an invitation here - embrace the process of pruning.

When allowed to do its work, it produces lasting, meaningful results.

What areas of your life are you willing to subject to pruning and allowing the waiting game to produce a bountiful crop?

As a side note, we live in a culture driven by speed and convenience. We want things now - faster, easier, and more immediate.

And yet, some of life’s most valuable outcomes simply cannot be rushed.

I recently revisited a previous post, What’s Cooking, which reflects on the practical benefits of waiting.

If you’d like to explore that idea further, you can read it here:

https://www.brucercross.com/whats-cooking