Regardless of the trip, this is the conversation my wife and I usually have and for many of us, it’s a part of the vacation tradition. We plan, arrange, pack, plan some more and make sure all the details of our destination are in order. We fill up our days making sure we get as much as we can in while we’re away. After all, it is our vacation.

But God shared something very profound with me during the 12 hour car ride. It was so profound for me that I was curious as to how I could have overlooked it in all of my previous family vacations, treks and trips.

Patience precedes all great things in life. It is only through patience that we achieve anything impressively large, bigger than ourselves, lasting, powerful, or useful. We all want to be a part of greatness, yet not all are willing to endure the patience it requires. Patience is by definition the capacity for waiting; the ability to endure waiting and delay without becoming annoyed or upset; or to persevere calmly when faced with difficulties. We live in a world of immediacy. Waiting is not tolerated. If we get annoyed just sitting at a red light, imagine the struggle to wait on the bigger things in life. We can start learning to wait with the little opportunities we have each day like standing in the grocery line, waiting at practice to master a new skill, or sitting in traffic.

A close friend who has known me for 20 years recently approached me with a comment and question that surprised me. He said, “I’ve been watching you closely for the past year, and you have changed. I see transformation in your life. What are you doing?” I was totally humbled and deeply thankful that someone saw a change. But I also quickly reminded myself that the positive change was not the result of anything I had done, but of what God had done in me. It was a tribute to the power of His transforming work. After explaining to my friend about a serious daily commitment to the morning disciplines of reading, studying and praying the Word of God, he asked for more details.