Celebrating Advent means being able to wait. Waiting is an art that our impatient age has forgotten. It wants to break open the ripe fruit when it has hardly finished planting the shoot. But all too often the greedy eyes are only deceived; the fruit that seemed so precious is still green on the inside, and disrespectful hands ungratefully toss aside what has so disappointed them. Whoever does not know the austere blessedness of waiting – that is, of hopefully doing without – will never experience the full blessing of fulfillment.

from “God Is In The Manger – Reflections on Advent and Christmas”, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

That you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 6:12

But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:4