Teen Advent Forum ~ Week #1

1) Why is it so hard to wait for things in our lives?
It is difficult for one to wait for something(s) in life because humans have a natural instinct, labeled by psychologist Sigmund Freud as the id, to try to obtain things, especially things necessary for life, as soon as possible. As such, one can become impatient when waiting to receive something as this trait unfortunately transfers into the desire of nonessential items as well.

2) Write a paragraph or two on what this above story means to you.
To me, this story is an example of both patience and the wonder of God. This story is a demonstration of patience because the hope and joy in which the family have with just knowing that a child is coming is a great contrast to a large portion of the people today, shopping online with two day shipping, still not happy because they’d probably want it teleported to their door. Though not as much of a point in this forum but just as important is the beautiful portrayal of God’s power. He created us, giving us the gift of life. Not only that, but he allowed us to be able to create life ourselves, though less diverse. This astounding gift that out Lord has given us, to be able to have children to hope and wait for, is an amazing yet often overlooked, part of life.

Question one:
The reason why it is so difficult for thing to come to us in our lives is because of instinct. Humans have the natural reaction to something they enjoy by releasing dopamine in the brain which cause a wide variety of emotions. Why it is so difficult to be patient is because you really want that thing in your life now because of your brain, but in reality, you just don’t want to want on things and you would rather be happy now then later.
Question two:
When the question of “what is an example of being patient?” I think about when jesus told his disciples to not lose faith and that he will come back for them soon. What the disciples do is that they stayed true to what jesus told them and they were patient. Ever since then, jesus has still yet to come for us, but we remain patient and keep gods promise.

This example right here proves the devotion of the people of the church. We weave proven that we will wait till the end of time knowing that god is coming to save us. Our lord is on his way and he is going to fulfill his promise to us and we will join him in heaven.

Why is it so hard to wait for things in our lives?
Personally, I would say that waiting is made especially difficult by the way we are told to live our lives in the modern world. Outside the church, our lives are dictated by what we make happen and how much effort we put in. Actively deciding to relinquish that level of control and place even just a portion of our lives at the mercy of another force can at times feel wrong and unsafe as well as frustrating and unnecessary. As people, we can only do so much to make something happen, however that doesn't stop us from trying as hard as possible.

Write a paragraph or two on what the above story means to you
To me, the story represents exactly what many Catholics like me have wrestled with for years. The season of advent and all of its holy days have always felt hollow despite how much time I direct towards them, and I believe this week 1 Reflection is the start of an answer for me. Deciding to actively put trust into an omnipotent and omniscient being that I have not yet had a strong, visceral connection to is almost too incredible for me to comprehend. It seems like too much to ask. However, I recognize that this is because it isn't something that comes easy or as a comfortable situation at first. The stories included are important encapsulations of the dilemma I and many others find ourselves in, giving light to the sometimes daunting task of putting yourself out there to God's grace and believing He has something, though we never know what exactly, in the works made specifically for your situation. The story above represents a common hardship and an everlasting solution.

(I took this as asking what the entire reflection meant, not solely the little piece on the couple or the story of Abraham and Sarah.)

1. Why is so hard to wait for things in our lives?

It’s so hard to wait for things in our lives, because our society lives in instant culture. You want to talk to someone, you just call without waiting until you see the person, you want to know what is happening on the other side of the globe you just google it. You want to eat something and don’t have much at home, you order it and you get delivered. We became so spoiled that we no longer know how to wait patiently. If we don’t get it right away we’re complaining. We should learn how to wait patiently and how to be thankful for everything that God provides us with.

2. Write a paragraph or two on what this above story means to you.

The story tells that we should rely on God’s power instead of our own. Nothing is impossible with God! When you have an encounter with God he changes you.
Good things come to those who wait patiently. Patience is rewarded.

1. Why Is It So Hard To Wait For Things In Our Lives?
I think it is hard to wait for things in our lives because we live in a "get it done" society. We want everything to get done quickly so that we can move onto the next thing. At this time we barely have to wait. If we want an answer to a question we can just google it instead of looking it up in a book. If we want to know the lyrics to a song we can just look it up online instead of listening to the song over and over again. I think it is hard to wait because we are out of practice.

2. Write A Paragraph Or Two On What This Above Story Means To You?
To me this story spreads God's message to be patient because you never know what is in store for you. We just have to wait for God to guide our way through life. Even if life may seem difficult or impossible, God always has a plan. Even if it doesn't take place at the time you want it to, just like in this story, you just have to put your trust in God.