By Todd Barrier

For the Enquirer

Admiral Byrd was an explorer of the Antarctic. On one occasion, he and his crew were locked in Antarctic ice on board the ship Bear. Those with him were becoming very impatient. He said to them, “Wait – give wind and tide a chance to change.”  

Long years of dealing with that frozen region had taught him you cannot always do everything instantly.  

When things are going bad – and they do go bad for all of us at times – you cannot always change them instantly. 

We want things to happen instantly. We have instant tea, instant coffee, fast food, express lines and more, and we want instant life changes.  

The first step is to recognize and admit this cannot always be done. In other words, attitude will not change the undesirable happenings, but one can change one’s attitude toward them – and they will change.  

Give wind and tide a chance to change.  

In the meantime, we do not have to be stewing. We can decide to make the waiting time constructive and creative. 

Don’t you know it would have been difficult for Paul – the man of action – to sit for years in Roman prisons had he not decided to do something else worthwhile while he waited?  Many of his great epistles came out of the prison years.

Psalm 37:7-9 — “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret – it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.”