The Blessing of Patience

Abba,

What joy there is in deferred pleasure; in delayed gratification; in the agony of waiting.  When did we wander so far from the wisdom of patience?

We could ask “why?”  Why do we struggle with patience?  

But we all know the answer.  

The desires of the flesh crave instant gratification.  It craves the immediate satisfaction of the desires swirling in us.  The tension is so powerful that at times our skin crawls with it, our bodies churn and roil with energy.  It takes strength beyond our own; YOUR strength; to calm and settle the storm with in us and be drawn back once again to the joy of patience, of deferred pleasure, of delayed gratification.

Oh, Abba, that our minds and hearts would meditate upon the glorious truth of these words….

Born Again to a Living Hope

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (1 Pe 1:3–5). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

What could bring us greater joy and satisfaction than this!  We have riches and abundance beyond all that our minds can possibly comprehend.  The promise of its reality is as sure as Your very existence!  

And yet we struggle to let the promise of this inheritance settle the passion boiling within us in the here and now.  We seek to satisfy our hearts with lesser desires.  We look to man to be for us what only YOU are capable of being.  We question both Your ability and Your love when the fulfillment of Your promises don’t come when and how we think they ought to.  We think ourselves wise enough and capable enough to assist You in fulfilling Your promises.  What foolishness!

I ponder the working of your plan as it pertained to Abraham and Sarah.

They had to wait 25 years from beginning to end to receive the promised child, Isaac.  

Isaac and Rebekah had to wait 20 years for the birth of the twins.

As I ponder why; why did you make them wait…Your Spirit reminds me that Your best work is often done in the periods of waiting.  As we wait, you test, stretch, and strengthen our faith, conviction, peace, and wisdom.  Indeed, in the periods of waiting, you are doing exactly as you promised in Philippians 1:6.

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Php 1:6). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

You are faithful, mighty God!  You will not leave us undone.  You will not leave us wanting.  You will not leave us broken. You will not leave us sorrowful.  You will not leave us lonely.  You will not leave us enslaved and bound.  You will not leave us.  Period.  

You are at work.  Your plan has no flaw.  Your plan has no opponent who can thwart it.  Your plan WILL be.  

When we struggle to wait with joy, when we struggle to rest with peace…remind us of who YOU are and what YOU have promised.  And may we rest with a peace that is not ours and find contentment in the waiting.

God of grace, we love you!

Amen.