I suspect many of us struggle with impatience – whether it is impatience with our husband or wife, with family members or even impatience with God.
On Wednesday the Sing Australia choir I belong to, went to sing at a nursing home, When I arrived fifteen minutes before the time we were due to start, a large number of people were already assembled and waiting in the hall. Our pianist had arrived and was running through a few of the songs we were to sing. This was not enough for one elderly lady. She was ready and keen for the concert to begin. Thinking to hurry the concert up, she started to slowly clap.
What she didn’t know was, a number of the other members of the choir had not arrived as they were rushing to get there from other commitments. Twice she tried her ploy of clapping, hoping to spur the choir into action. The second time, the lady next to her leaned over and told her the concert was not due to start till 2pm. It was then about 1.50. But this lady was ready and waiting, so she expected everyone else should be ready too.
We can be like that, even with God. I know at times we were like that regarding the sale of our house and our move down to the South Coast. We were ready and couldn’t understand what the hold up was and why God didn’t set it all into action. Like the woman yesterday who didn’t know all the facts, there were many factors we didn’t know that God did.
Ultimately we saw God had the perfect plan and the perfect timing of events. No wonder we are so happy here.
Patience though, for some of us is not easily acquired but it is something the bible speaks a lot about. Look at Ecclesiastes 7:8, ‘Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.’ The truth is, sometimes it’s like we appear to think we know better than God. Just as this lady thought we should start but the choir would never have sounded as good with half the members missing.
I Thessalonians 5:14 urges us to ‘be patient with all men.’ The bible gives specific incidences when we need patience. One of them is when we are wronged by someone else, 2 Timothy.2:24. Another place where we need patience is in maintaining our Christian faith and looking towards Christ’s’ return, James 5:7, 8
My favorite psalm is Psalm 37. In this psalm God instructs us to ‘rest’ in Him ‘and wait patiently for Him,’ Psalm 37:7.
David found patience is rewarded, Psalm 40:1 as did Abraham, Hebrews 6:15. My husband and I can testify to that too. Like Abraham we waited for God to fulfill His promise to us and He did.
Will you choose to exercise patience in your current situation, trusting that God will act at exactly the right time to bring about His best for you?
Bible verses from The New American Standard Version
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