We live in the age of instant everything. Fast food, instant messages, same-day delivery… and if the internet takes more than 10 seconds, we suddenly feel like we’re suffering.

Our young people have grown up in a culture where everything seems immediate. One click and information appears. Another click and food arrives. One swipe and there’s something new to entertain them. So it’s no surprise that many expect life to work the same way: fast, easy, and with very little waiting.

But if we’re honest… adults can’t really point fingers either.

Because even though we grew up in a time when waiting was normal, we’ve adapted (or maybe been infected ) by the same mindset. Now we want quick answers, immediate solutions, and fast results without much process. We get frustrated when things take too long, check our phones every five minutes, and sometimes even expect God to answer our prayers with express shipping.

The difference is: they were born into this speed… we learned to live in it.

Young people often struggle with patience because they’ve never known a different pace.

Adults struggle because we’ve forgotten how to wait.

They get impatient when things don’t happen quickly.

We get impatient because we’ve grown used to convenience.

They compare themselves to what they see on social media.

We do too… we just hide it a little better.

They want to reach goals fast.

We want to fix everything fast.

Maybe this isn’t just a generational issue… maybe it’s a cultural one.

And in the middle of all that, God still works very differently: through process, timing, and purpose.

Real friendships take time.

Healing takes time.

Maturity takes time.

Raising children takes time.

Spiritual growth takes time.

And yes… even a good cup of coffee takes time.

Scripture reminds us:

“But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” — Romans 8:25

Maybe the challenge isn’t just teaching young people patience… maybe it’s for us adults to relearn it too.

Because not everything in life comes in an express version… even if Amazon has made us think otherwise.