Is a virtue. These are the words my husband often reminds me of. He has the patience of Job. I, on the other hand, have the patience of a two year old. My biggest inspiration, Pete Parker, knows what patience is. When I ask him what patience is, his reply is always simple, yet truthful "wait." Why is waiting so hard? I am reminded of an excerpt from one of my favorite children's books when I think about waiting. The excerpt is as follows:
" You can get so confused that you'll start in to race down long wiggled roads at break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed I fear, toward a most useless place. The Waiting Place.....for people just waiting. Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or a No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting. Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting." ( taken from "Oh, the Places You'll Go! By Dr. Seuss). Isn't that why fast food, drive ins, and delivery services are so popular? Most people don't like to wait. So, we zip through the line at Chick- Fil- A and if we incidentally have to pull over in one of the marked spots while they finish preparing our meal *gasp* we get anxious and impatient. Oh what a fast paced world we live in!!
My prayer for myself, is that God increases my patience. I pray for more patience with my husband, my family, and for my sweet daughter as I watch her grow and learn. I need to "wait" and know that God is in control of everything, both big and small. Will I continue to plan ahead for, well, everything? Probably, that is just my nature. However, I don't want to miss out on a single moment due to lack of patience. I hope to feel God's peace in my daily life, and know that the load of laundry I felt needed to be done YESTERDAY, will indeed wait until tomorrow so that I can spend time in God's word today. Moreover, the long list of to - do's including cleaning out the fridge and reorganizing the pantry will still be around for me to do later, so I can spend time with my family today.
In closing, I reflect on the following bible verses as a reminder to me of the importance of patience.
" Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14
" But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3: 8-9
" But those who wait on 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
" But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, PATIENCE, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5: 22-23
Please be patient with me, God isn't finished with me yet:)
