The Healing Art of Waiting: Why Patience Is Good for Your Health
The mental, spiritual, and physical benefits are out of this world when you slow down
Let’s start with a question: When was the last time you felt unhurried?
When I use the phrase “felt unhurried,” I am referring to all of you — your mind, your thoughts, and your body. In essence, that also includes your soul.
I know I’m guilty of this. I get up in the morning with every intention of starting with a hot cup of coffee or tea, nestling into the couch with my legs crossed, closing my eyes, and enjoying 10–20 minutes of contemplative prayer.
That’s the intention, and most mornings I’m good about keeping that, but when I know I have work ready for me to do, my mind jumps to “oh no…I have to do this and this and this today.” So, I grab my cup of hot beverage, begin to head for the couch, and veer off to my desk.
What?!
Friends, this is where patience with yourself and others can be such an asset.
Have we become so ingrained with fast-fast-fast because we can hit the “close door” button on the elevator, get our groceries delivered within an hour, or expect someone to reply to our text in seconds?
Our brains become so restless, our souls grow thin, and our spirituality shrinks to fit the pace of a notification. When fast is what the Joneses are doing, and we’re trying to keep up, patience can feel a bit rebellious.
Rebellion might be good for our mind, body, and spirit. Wink, wink.
Going fast all the time is not good. So. Not. Good.
And … if it’s not good for us, why do we do it? What does all of this do to our brains, bodies, and souls?
Here’s the deal. It is one of the key elements to shorten your life. Now, maybe you don’t care about a long life, and that’s okay. No judgement here. But living a fast-paced life isn’t just about speed. It will also bring chronic stress, harmful lifestyle habits (think eating out more and yelling at co-workers), and create a biological strain.
The soul blooms in the space hurry leaves behind.
Help us, Spirit, to understand that slower is better, that in the gentle unfolding, You are shaping us. Teach us to trust the pauses as much as the progress, to understand that Your timing is never late and never rushed. Let us breathe in the grace of these moments as we lay down the weight and burden of hurry and fear. Let our eyes see the beauty we miss when we rush, and open our hearts to the peace that comes when we wait. May our days move in a rhythm of grace and love, our words carry the softness of patience, and our steps be guided by the wisdom of stillness. May it be so.
There are three areas where fast living has adverse effects: the brain, soul, and spirituality. Each of them is separate and interconnected. Why and how? Because when your brain is off kilter, your body and soul are off kilter, and vice versa.
Neuroscience
Dopamine Overload: We have been told that dopamine is good, but can too much of a good thing be bad? Yes! It seems so. Quick results give fast dopamine hits, which reinforce the loop of wanting more and faster. Over time, our baseline for satisfaction shifts, making slow processes feel irritating or even unbearable. Think about the last time you went to a restaurant and were told you had to wait 20 minutes, so you left. What’s wrong with waiting? Nothing. There is nothing wrong with waiting.
Reduced Tolerance for Delay: Our prefrontal cortex handles self-control and decision-making. When it gets less “exercise,” we avoid waiting, thus our level of patience goes down. Like a muscle, patience weakens from not using it.
Shallow Focus: We are becoming shallow (seriously). Rapid responses train the brain toward surface attention rather than deep, sustained thought. This, in turn, affects creativity, problem-solving, and emotional regulation.
Trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit. — Moliere
Inner Life and Soul
Loss of Wonder: God is often encountered in the slow, quiet spaces. When we are moving too quickly, the fast pace robs us of those sacred pauses.
Erosion of Presence: We begin to “live ahead” of ourselves, thinking about what’s next rather than savoring what is now.
Impatience and Mystery: Our spiritual journeys are full of seasons of uncertainty and unknowing. If we’re accustomed to instant clarity, the dark nights of the soul would feel like failures instead of invitations. We might even swat the invitations away, thinking they are unnecessary.
Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it.
— Søren Kierkegaard
Spirituality and Relationships
Transactional Faith: When we approach our prayer life like online shopping — place an order and expect prompt delivery — we risk not knowing who God truly is.
Thin Relationships: Deep connection takes time. If we’re always in a hurry, it creates shallow relationships, even with ourselves.
Detachment From Creator’s Rhythm: Nature moves in seasons, not seconds. When we’re out of sync, we tend to feel disconnected from the earth’s wisdom.
Why Patience is Spiritual and Physical Medicine
Keep in mind that patience is not passive. It is actively waiting with trust. When we practice it intentionally, our mind, body, and spirit get recalibrated.
Mentally
Neuroplastic Rewiring: Every time we participate in delayed gratification, we strengthen neural pathways for emotional regulation and resilience. That’s pretty cool, huh?
Stress Reduction: Patience reduces cortisol spikes caused by constant urgency. As someone who has struggled with adrenal issues all my life, this is the one thing doctors say to me over and over again. Nancy, you need to manage your stress.
Improved Attention: Patience can train the brain to sustain focus. This helps our learning and memory.
Spiritually
Reclaiming Sacred Time: Patience teaches us that time is not the enemy. Oh, how I am listening to that as I write this. It’s the soil where God works unseen.
Deeper Listening: The longer we remain still, the more we perceive the quiet voice beneath the noise.
Trust in the Unfolding: I know it’s hard, but waiting shifts our posture from control to surrender.
Physically
Lower Blood Pressure: You probably already know this, but it’s worth mentioning. When we practice patience, our stress is reduced, and that improves our heart health.
Better Sleep: Who doesn’t want that? A less frantic mind is more prepared for rest.
Mind-Body Awareness: Patience will slow us down enough to notice physical cues of tension, fatigue, or hunger before they become a crisis. This is where that saying “listen to your body” comes in handy.
Let’s be honest. When we live fast to get more out of life, we will most likely have less life to live, both in length and depth of experience. Spiritually, it’s like trying to grow a garden by pulling on the stems to make them taller.
Slowing down is not losing time—it is opening the door to life itself.
In your lifestyle, where do you feel the most pull to rush? What might God be inviting you to notice if you slowed down there?
What fear or discomfort might be hiding underneath your fast-paced lifestyle?
What part of your life feels out of sync with your body’s natural pace, and what is one small way you could bring it back into alignment?
I release my grip on hurry. I trust that whatever is meant for me will arrive in its own perfect time.
Delay the Small Things: Wait 30 seconds before checking your phone or taking your first sip of coffee.
Embrace Rituals of Slow: Brew tea (because you have to wait 2–5 minutes), handwrite a note, cook from scratch. Let the slowness be part of the gift.
Practice Breath Pauses: Before you reply to a text or email, take three slow, deep breaths.
Keep Sabbath Rhythms: This is a non-negotiable in our house, and it pays off in so many ways. Choose a regular time each week for unhurried, agenda-free presence to yourself.
Sit in Silence: Start with five minutes a day in stillness, gradually increasing as you feel comfortable. Let quiet reintroduce you to your soul.
May you step out of the race and into the rhythm of grace.
May your heart find rest in the pauses,
Your mind breathe in the open spaces,
And your soul remember the joy of unhurried time.
In the sacred slow, may you find the One who never rushes you.
May you know that you are loved because you matter.
May your soul be refreshed.
sdg
The last time I felt totally unhurried was walking the cobblestone streets in Italy with you, and it was a wonderful feeling of peace and soulful rest.
Why do you have to shame me for hitting the “close door” button in the elevator? :) That statement made me pause, because I do it every time. Maybe it causes me to miss meeting a neighbor, or having a quick interaction with someone I don’t know. Thanks for that. I will wait and see who walks in from now on!