When I was younger, I always found patience impossible. I was impatient when I struggled with something, or when I had to wait in line at the bank or shop. I was impatient with the people I talked to, especially if they did not understand me immediately. Impatience has always been my personal battle.

As the years flew by, after school and University, God taught me patience. After completing my studies in 2015, I returned to my parents’ house. I waited there, for more than a year, to be called to a congregation. I applied at many places. I preached every now and then, went for interviews, but was never called to a congregation as their minister.

In February 2017 I started working as Evangelist at the CSO. It was not long before my patience was tried again. In a few weeks I will celebrate two years at the CSO in Cape Town and Saldanha harbours. Yet, until today, I do not have full and free access to the Saldanha harbour. From September last year I also do not have free access to the Cape Town harbour. This means that I am waiting again, this time waiting for news from Transnet. My work environment is not the only place that teaches me to wait patiently, my personal life also requires that I learn patience and waiting patiently. I have to learn that God is in each moment, that He is working and that He is present. It means that I live like everyone else, between the Manger and the Cross, between Bethlehem and Golgotha.

John Piper wrote in his book, “Battling Unbelief”, in the chapter on impatience, that God’s time is not our time. If we can remain trusting in God to let all happen as it should, we need not be impatient. We must believe that God’s plan and the execution of the plan is the best, because only He knows the bigger picture. He knows our life stories from beginning to end.

And that is my challenge each day. To believe in trust that everything that makes me impatient, happen because of a specific reason. I have to believe that God has a specific plan. Now that I am older and begin to wonder, but want to live in faith with God, I can see, clearly, that many things in my life already worked out for the best. The year of waiting after completing my studies made it possible to come to Cape Town. It also made it possible to be installed as minister. All these were on my wish list for many years.

Yes, at times I find that I still get impatient. I forget about God’s wonderful promises and provision for my life. Yet I know that I have to continue to trust His time and His plan for my future. He has never left me to fend on my own. I thank Him for that each day.