Are All Christians In A Hurry?

The great thing about the Internet is that everything is just a click away. If you’re interested in finding information, all you have to do is key a few words into the address bar of your browser and within seconds you will have all the facts, statistics, articles, and reviews that you might need. If you’re interested in purchasing something, you have only to reach as far as your back pocket to find what you want. Grab your credit card and browse an online marketplace to make instant purchases. You can even order home-delivery pizza from several major franchises directly through their websites.

This kind of convenience seems to be the end-goal of every major industry. Fast food restaurants attempt to fill your drive-thru order in as little time as possible. Television networks try to provide you with your favorite TV shows according to your busy schedule through Tivo or On-Demand Pay-Per-View programming. Some stores even allow you to have your groceries delivered directly to your home. By now, your probably beginning to get the idea.

Convenience vs. Character

Most people have been conditioned by these luxuries into what I like to call an ‘instant gratification mindset.’ People with this mindset always seem to be in a hurry. They want things now, and I mean right now! They are in a hurry to get things they want, in a hurry to make a lot of money through get-rich-quick schemes, in a hurry to see something finished that normally requires a lot of time and hard work and, last but not least, in a hurry to see results.

Years ago there was a maxim: Patience is a virtue. A few generations ago, Americans believed that the key to being wealthy was through years of hard work and a solid buy-and-hold investing strategy. Former generations of Americans avoided debt like the plague. They would never have imagined putting a new pair of shoes on a credit card since they wouldn’t have enough money to pay for them for a few more months. They saved and spent only the money they had. Theirs was a generation, not of instant gratification, but of patience. The truth in this principle has nearly been forgotten to today’s modern society.

The World's Influence On Christianity

As America continues this downward spiral toward impatience and instant gratification, she seems to be dragging Christianity along for the ride. American Christians seem to typify these same negative character traits leading to a drastic decline in their spirituality and in their ability to positively influence the world.

Christians seem to be living their lives in such a hurry that they neglect the very activities that they were commanded to be doing. Many Christians have stopped praying because they didn’t see instant answers. Many Christians have quit soul-winning because they didn’t claim instant conversions. Many churches have compromised on music, dress, and doctrine because standing for truth didn’t bring instant crowds.

What are your thoughts? Are you one who patiently obeys and serves God or are you neglecting your responsibilities and your stand for truth because you didn’t see instant results?


Nick