I remember when I was younger, my parents were always telling me how impatient I was, and how I didn’t like waiting…for anything. I was that child that asked ‘Are we nearly there yet’ a dozen times even though it wasn’t going to bring me any closer to my destination. I’m sure my parents were thinking why couldn’t I be more like my siblings and just sit back and enjoy the ride! I still find myself asking God that question today ‘God, am I nearly there yet?’. 

Whatever you’re waiting for- the dream house, the car, the husband, the job, the business, the child…we’ve all been there- having to wait for one thing or the other. 

Waiting is not always easy, and waiting for yours when it seems like everyone else around you is being blessed with the very thing you’ve been waiting for, is tough. Here are some things I’ve reminded myself of over the years, which I hope will help make the wait a little easier.

We are not all in the same time zone 

When I was on holiday in Jamaica a few months ago, they were 6 hours behind those of us in the UK. Did it mean that Jamaica was running behind schedule and the U.K. was on the right track? Of course not. Both countries were just running according to their own time zones. Your time zone is not the same as anyone else’s time zone,and just because it seems like she’s 6 years ahead of you doesn’t mean you’re 6 years behind. Your time frame is unique to you.

Don’t take it personally 

Sometimes it can feel like you’re the last man standing. It feels like you’re the only who hasn’t got the career break, found the man of your dreams or started a family yet. You may start to wonder if it’s because you’re doing something wrong or that the universe is against you. I can assure you, it’s not. You’re not the only one and it’s not personal. If it happened for them, then there is no reason why it won’t also happen for you. 

Be happy for others…genuinely and be a blessing to them 

I’m not talking about the strained smile you have to pull at parties when you’re out, but a genuine happiness when you see someone else get what you’re hoping for. 

Celebrate their successes with them as though you were celebrating your own ones. Pray for them, go with them to the house viewing, ask them how their first day at the new job went etc. As you purpose to be a blessing to others, you remove the focus from yourself and what you’re waiting for, to being happy that someone you love, has received what they’ve been waiting for.

Find joy in the season you’re in right now 

The thing is as humans we always want more. Even when you get what you’ve been hoping for, there will always be something else. It’s easy to get so caught up in wishing we had more, that we don’t realise the abundance of what we already have. I’ve found that it helps to count my blessings and literally name them one by one. Listing the things you already have and being thankful for them can really help put things into perspective. Whilst you’re waiting for a new house, someone else out there is wishing they had a roof over their head tonight. 

Trust your journey

Think about your past, not to dwell on it, but to remind yourself of how far you’ve come, and how much you’ve overcame. Do you remember the times you prayed for what you have now? Did you get them by fretting or worrying? You have to trust that you’re exactly where you need to be, right now. Maybe that’s not where you planned, but that’s where you are…and that’s okay- your journey isn’t over yet. 

In all honesty, if I could rewind time and go back to all those family road trips when I was younger, I’d probably have spent more time looking out the window, taking in the scenery and enjoying the ride. ‘Are you nearly there yet?’ Yes my dear…you probably are, but don’t let ‘waiting’ rob you of ‘living’. Sit back, take in the scenery and enjoy the ride. 

Words by Ijeoma Egole