Do you think being impatient is a good thing? Do you have patience? I do sometimes. If you lack patience, is it because you are not in control? Do you lack patience? I do at times. What causes you to be impatient? Are you impatient with people, circumstances or progress? Have you ever asked for patience? What happened? Did God put you in places or circumstances that tested your patience? He did me. Let me tell you what God taught me about how patience brings hope.
It seems to me that being patient is not an easy thing. I find myself often getting frustrated with my circumstances. Things are taking longer that I want them to take. I believe that is because I want to be in control. I want things to be done now not later. I believe that is because I do not let God do what only He can do. I need to “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!” Psalms 37:7 (ESV)
I find that when I wait it is always better because I am in His arms, and He is directing my steps and protecting me from evil. Therefor I must be still. As the Prophet Isaiah said, “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (ESV) I have a painting over my bed every night for decades now with this quote. I wish I would look at it more often and claim it for I would have more hope.
There is also a reciprocal action that occurs between hope and patience as Paul says in Romans 8:25, “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Romans 8:25 (ESV)
I have also learned that there is hope in being patient because by waiting on God to fight my battles He will. He promised it to Israel, and I believe that the promise extends to me as well. “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” Exodus 14:14 (ESV) So, as I battle with sin and impatience, I need to be silent and wait for God to fight for me.
Lastly I find there is hope in the patience that God shows to His creation which I am a part. Peter said, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV) God will in His own time judge the world, but He is patiently waiting for man to come to Him and repent. That to me is the ultimate hope.
I pray that you will find patience especially in your own self. That you will learn to wait for the Lord and be a new person because of it one that can endure anything and thus have hope in all circumstances. But most importantly that you will be patient for Jesus to return. In doing so you will find the only true source of hope. Remember though that all sin is forgivable except the sin of unbelieve in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the cross satisfied the penalty for my sins and yours as well. It satisfied all my sins from the past, in the present, and in the future. My penalty and yours were satisfied on the cross by the death of Jesus, God’s greatest act of love and wrath, who became sin for me and you. It was also God’s greatest act of faithfulness because “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV) Because wisdom shows us, we need to believe in Jesus. I hope that you join me in helping others to choose Jesus.
If you have not read my previous blogs, you can find them here. You can watch a book trailer about my book. You can find my book, Hope Amid Hopelessness: Our Abba Father Provides a Way Through Mental Illness here. eBook or Audiobook versions can be found at Westbow Press
