Patience part 1
You've probably heard it said--I know I have--that if you ask God for patience, He will give you opportunities to be patient. But let's look at that. It's kind of the same idea that God gives you mountains you can learn how to climb, right? Except that according to Isaiah 40:4, "Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain." God didn't give us mountains. He made the way (that leads to life) straight and narrow. In fact, Matthew 21:21 (NLT) says, "Then Jesus told them, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don't doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen."" And, yes, I understand that He was talking about the mountain of the Old Covenant. He was talking about the mountain that Moses went up onto in order to receive the 10 Commandments. He was talking about the mountain of the Law. But I think the analogy still fits. We make mountains out of molehills when we should just tell the mountain to take a long walk off a short cliff. So to speak. My point is, I don't necessarily think God expects anything from us that He doesn't first provide for us. If you're struggling with patience, for example, what good would it do for God to test your patience? Or for God to put you in a situation where you NEED the patience that you (think you) don't have? I think it's more likely, and more practical, and more helpful, for God to show you that you DO have patience. Maybe that can only come out when you need it. But until you understand that you have it... good luck with that. You can't give what you don't have and you can only give what you do have. What you know and believe you do have. One more memory verse for today: "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud" (1 Corinthians 13:4, NLT). When we're talking about patience, we're talking about an aspect of love. And, without patting myself on the back too hard, I think I have something to say about this. Because patience is my super power. I'm really hard to bother. Now, when I DO get bothered... I REALLY get bothered. But it takes a lot to get me there. For the most part I'm very "live and let live." Let people live their best life. If it isn't hurting anybody... I'm not worried about it. And I understand, with a knowledge that passes knowledge--because I've been there, done that, got the t-shirt--that we're all on the same journey, but we're all at different stages of the journey and we're all going at different speeds. All roads may lead to Rome, but that doesn't mean we're all going to get there at the same time. And that doesn't mean we have to, or should, get there at the same time or in the same way. It's ok to be different. In fact, it ought to be encouraged. Variety is the spice of life. If you're stuck in a rut, that's just a grave with the ends kicked out. Going through the motions is no way to live. And, listen, if you're building something... keep on keeping on. Rome wasn't built in a day. Things are worth it take time and effort. There's a difference between grinding it out and just going through the motions. As long as you have goals that you're working towards--a purpose--then you can keep on going. But my point is that if you ask God for patience, He will show you what love is. Because love is patient. I know my son thinks I'm hard on him, but I'm more patient with him than probably anybody else. Because I love him more than anybody else. So I think if you ask God for patience, He will show you love. So that you can be patient... in the act of loving Him back by loving people!