Patience

“I don’t get it,” she says.  Her eyes finish a sentence bereft of words.  She cannot understand why her morale seems as withered as the orchid that drops its petals before a gray sky.  She thinks the mark of spiritual authenticity is the ability to call on God and experience His resolving touch to her whatever problem.  But when He does not come or meet her expectations her forbearance slips another notch.  It’s as if He does not care.  
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If prayer seems as useful as removing weeds by hand, patience seems as valid as turtles trying to fly.  The driver to our right cuts us off and we fume.  The boss treats us unjustly and we cry to God “FOUL!”  We wait for recognition that never comes.  We sing our hearts out before a microphone turned off. What good is it to serve when things do not turn out right?  So we bow to the beat of the temper tantrum.

Meditation
Hebrews 6:12,15--so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance . . . And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham[ obtained the promise.
 
If there were no promises from God patience would be pointless.  Life would be best lived by seizing pleasure by the throat. Isn’t impatience in truth lack of faith? We hardly believe that God understands our circumstances and is truly sovereign.  The proof of our unbelief is our perpetual lapse into frustration. Conversely, the confirmation of our patience is our ability to stand unfazed by a chain of events whose links seem unending.
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If it is patience that you want, then it is faith you must have—a faith welded securely to God’s promises.  When Patience holds hands with Faith they are always headed to Joy’s house to feed on God’s promises.  They will not be lassoed to the stake of selfishness.  Their freedom to walk and wait comes in the secure belief that Lord means possessor of ultimate authority.  What God says He is able to do, He will for our betterment, when He is ready.  Hallelujah!
 
Inspiration
Patience is not the same as endurance, for the heart of endurance is frequently stoical, whereas the heart of patience is a blazing love that sees intuitively and awaits God’s time in perfect confidence.  Also it is impossible to be both patient and proud because pride weakens into lust, and lust is essentially impatient.—Oswald Chambers in Not Knowing Where
 
 
©1999 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)