Patience

I admit, when it comes to patience I have very little. Unfortunately, I absolutely hate to wait and I can get seriously frustrated when I have to. I was actually sitting, waiting in the doctor's office yesterday with a pounding headache and a very sore throat. As I waited I tried to pass the time by catching up on my backed up emails on my blackberry. It couldn't have been more perfect timing to come across the following email:

"...but those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

Many minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years are spent rushing through life only to find ourselves waiting. We wait at the doctor's office; we wait for a parking spot; we wait in line at the grocery store; we wait at the post office; we wait at the pharmacy...
Waiting is hard, exasperating work. The fact that we hate to wait has created some quick fixes in society.
In our world, waiting is bad. However, in God's world, waiting is good. God has given us many instructions on the necessity of waiting...

"My soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation." Psalm 62:1

"Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart." Psalm 27:14

"Blessed is he who waits..." Daniel 12:12

"We have waited for Him and He will save us." Isaiah 25:9

"I will wait for You, O You his Strength; for God is my defense." Psalm 59:9

Notice the words used by those who wait on God. Not words of frustration and confusion. But words of strength, salvation and blessings. Waiting on God, as David, Isaiah and many others learned, means letting go and letting God. It involves study, reflection, prayer, solitude and time apart from the world.

{And I had written this down a while back and found again yesterday:
"Don't copy the customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is." Romans 12:1-2}

Have a great weekend!