Following God’s requests
1 Kings 17 and 18
Psalm 37:3 Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
I remember reading the story of Elijah being sent to a dismal area, feeling quite sorry for himself. God sent a crow to bring him food each day; he was staying by a brook. And because there was not to be any rain for a period of time, the brook dried up. This Elijah told the evil King Ahab, and God withheld the rain until Elijah asked for it to rain in order to show the evil non believers of God’s power, and the power of prayer.
I imagine Elijah spent a lot of time in speculation, prayer, and searching his heart and God’s will. But it was also a time of fully trusting God….with patience.
Then the brook dried up and God directed him to a widow’s home. She offered him the last of the flour she had when he asked for food. Why would she do this? It was the end of her rations. Maybe she felt that it wouldn’t matter either way since it was obvious the end was the next bit of flour. However, the widow mixed up the small bit of flour to serve Elijah and her son.
Elijah stayed with the woman and her son; and the generous and loving God kept her supplied with flour and oil. If I was Elijah, I would have become impatient, and asked (repeatedly) ‘ok, so WHAT are we doing? Did I misunderstand, God?’
If I don’t see progression clearly over a certain time when I think God has directed, I begin to doubt, become impatient, start begging (whining) and therefore sometimes make grievous errors. The more I read this story of Elijah, the more I hope to have the faith to wait…and more importantly to commune in the quiet, being thankful a bird brings me meals and the water flows.
Patience has ALWAYS been such an issue for me. Never did I want to wait for anything. I am truly a child that sat under the umbrella of immediate gratification. I didn’t even want to wait until my mother delivered my sister before meeting her. I was impatient to know if we had a new brother or sister! Not that I received an early answer, but I was impatient for it.
I’ve worked for and waited for things throughout my life, as we all have. Over time, I’ve learned to recognize the benefit of getting or achieving things in God’s time. But it is easier now for me most of the time to wait, to seek His will and timing in my life. I have developed a modicum of patience and have come to see benefits to waiting and believing He will answer my prayers when it is right.
By studying God’s word, I’ve learned more about patience, being happy in whatever situation I am in and continuing to wait and work for what I believe God is leading me to. Not always easy, but truly easier than years ago. I believe that is a result of aging as well as learning and feeling the reward of following God, having the fruits of the Holy Spirit develop within, and learning that God comes through in HIS time.
One’s faith gets stronger over time as the prayers are answered, and as the fruits of the spirit grow and develop. There is an intimacy that develops as we strive to get to know Him.
There are nine fruits of the Spirit. 
Peace, joy, love, kindness, gentleness, patience, goodness, faithfulness, and self control.
It amazes me that over time, I can see I’ve developed deeper fruits for ‘mybellaviews.’
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