Waiting. With Patience or Without?
Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
Lamentations 3:26 It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD
Psalm 130:5,6 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.
Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
I don’t wait well. I am impatient, and want things done yesterday if not today. Over the years, I have learned patience, gained it over the times of WAITING, and realizing that my complaining about how long it was taking was exactly like when I whined about being grounded. The more I complained and whined about the punishment, the more time would continue. However, my brother, grounded for the same issue, was let off on early “probation.”
‘What’s going on with this? Because he’s the boy, he gets off?’ Whine, whine….my parents would just suggest I quietly close the door to my room so they did not have to listen to me. ROOOOAAAAARRR. That would just make my anger and impatience and bratty-ness worse.
Finally my brother came to me (Yes, the one who was getting off early for the same offenses, also younger and much wiser….)and said, “If you take your punishment quietly, go read, study, do whatever yu want in your room without complaining, you’ll get off sooner also.”
Really? Could this be so? I mulled it over and realized that yes, he never argued, he took his punishment silently, quietly, stoically almost like one of the hero in a novel. Hmmmm, maybe he was right.
So I started doing the same. When punished, go to room, read. Reading is my favorite pastime. I love learning about different people, places and cultures. Easy.
And yes, it worked. I am not always so acquiescent now with God. I do not rage, but I do ask IF my prayer will be answered. Or am I praying for the wrong thing, God? And I am more patient than in the past. I have moaned and groaned and complained and whined….without an answer.
Then, of course I get confronted with many verses urging me to wait; be patient; and so I sigh, apologize for questioning, and wait. I am more patient, and have learned that all things we pray for are not good for us, and certainly may not be the right time for us, and may not be God’s will for us. God made what I frequently see as a flawed and sinful being, but he also equipped me to see I have improved with age and getting to know Him deeper and deeper.
I want to serve and I am so blessed with all He has given and entrusted me with. That is my prime desire now. I have learned to take one day at a time, and give me to Him daily as He needs me. And that is working. It is not that I still don’t desire, but I know He gives at the right time, if it is the best thing for me and according to His will. I wonder if I would have learned that if my brother had not opened my eyes to ‘waiting the punishment’ with quietness and acquiescence.
Thank You for all my family and friend blessings. They have each been one of Your gifts to me and ‘mybellaviews.’
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