Patience: Day #39

Have you ever waited for something? An order at Chick-fil-A? Brakes to finish repair? Someone to get off the phone? We often look through the lens of that moment to see what we want to see. We need to be somewhere, so we want someone to finish faster. Hurry up.

We have spoken those words many times. Rarely do we stop in those hurried moments and think, “What am I missing?” or “What is God trying to do?” Sure, our heavenly Father sees ALL. He knows intimately all that is happening and has a patience that we cannot fathom. But what is he doing to me while I wait at Panera?

Patience is not like a bank account, it’s like a muscle. The more we use it, the stronger it is. Often, God is trying to train our patience to endure when our hope and desire are delayed. For God sees that we often miss how much we need grace. Grace to stumble and learn. Grace to question and find. Grace enough so that our weakness might be made perfect in His strength. We don’t see what people are dealing with. Many times, God is working in ways we can’t so that he can bring about what we can’t do on our own. So, who or what are you waiting on? What situations do you wait for God to work out? What can you do in your waiting that shows your trust in God?

Father, you know the questions and issues we face. You know the victory that is coming, and the people we pray for. Father, help us to work in hope as we show patience. Amen.