How often God must look down on us, hurrying and beseeching and pushing to get our way. He must smile and say to Himself, “Oh child, if you could only see what I have planned for you. Don’t rush it.”
The pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem sang His praises because they were in the midst of great blessings. God had answered years of prayers and heartache with joy.
Years. There is the key word.
When I read the story of the Israelites wandering the desert for 40 years, I often cringe inside thinking, “Wow. Many people then didn’t even live to 40, they spent their entire lives in the desert.” And yet, leader after leader showed up, obeyed God’s direction, and steered them to a place where they could rejoice and give thanks for what generations had longed for. God had a plan in the middle of what they all thought was a giant mess. He was patient with their sins because He knew if they could hold on, what He had in store would be worth it.
It simply took much longer than anyone else thought.
We are surrounded by deserts in our own lives all the time. Each of us faces reasons to become impatient, to be short with each other. In Ephesians, Paul writes, “…be patient with each other…” (Ephesians 4:2 NLT) and of all virtues, this tends to be one where I struggle the most. I can give God a few weeks, if I’m feeling generous maybe months, to work things out for me. People in my life? That needs to be almost instant.
Both cause me to stumble with my ability to love and my faith in God. My timing isn’t His. It shouldn’t be pushed on others. I need to praise Him in the desert, where my patience finds faith and clings to it when I can’t imagine what is taking so long.
Pretend you don't see this post! I just set up an account and I wanted to try it. Carry on…
Jaime I will finish that thought for you…MY husband says I have NO patience whatsoever! Lol! Truly I struggle with the waiting on God part and reading all of your stories this morning I thought of Joseph in the Old Testament, he had 21 years of peaks and valleys! His jealous brothers sold him into slavery and Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him so he spends years in prison for something he didn't do. Genesis 39:19.
His view was limited but God's view was full and perfect. He had a plan to use Joseph to save all of Egypt! The link between his view and God's view was FAITH and that produced the patience he needed to wait on God and and trust His timing.
"And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:3, 4 NKJV
Patience is a biggie for me….I pray for patience every day. I don't know what it is, but I'm the most impatient when it comes to my family. Not necessarily my husbands, friends, or coworkers, but my parents and my sister. I'm not sure if there's some deeper issue that surfaces as impatience, but it has been a long struggle. It seems like every time I call home or go home, I can literally feel my anxiety rising and my impatience beginning to develop. And the worst part is that I know this! I recognize it and see it coming and try and tell myself to just chill…there's no reason to be short with them, be quicker to anger, or to feel that I need to tell them my opinion more so than I would normally. Not sure, sisters…it's a struggle and I pray for patience constantly! Today's post was a good reminder that maybe God's plan for my family (or me) isn't worked out yet….maybe all the faults/negatives I see in my family are merely God at work. I need to be patient and let God do His thing. Praying for patience….
** Typo….it should be "husband," not "husbands" haha oops!!
Allison, I can definitely relate to impatience with family, especially with my parents. I live about 4 hours from my parents and probably get to see them every 1-2 months. But, my mom and I talk all the time on the phone. I find myself getting impatient when she calls right when I'm in the middle of something (which I feel is all the time) and she is just talking away. I become short, disinterested and the call usually ends with my mom saying "well, I can tell your busy, I'll let you go." It makes me feel terrible. And, like you, I realize exactly what I'm doing. Lately, I've been trying so hard to just put my pen down, my phone down, the tv paused, whatever I'm doing just stop, so I can give her a few minutes, uninterrupted. And I realize, I'm so thankful that my mom is still here that we can talk, that she can just call to "chat" on her long drive home, that she feels like she can call me to ask me to pray for something. Although our relationship has been through the wringer, I'm thankful for where it is now and where it's going. Lord, give me more patience. More patience for my parents who are aging and becoming forgetful and have side conversations while I'm sitting on the phone with one of them. More patience. Praying for patience for you as well..
Oh I SO lack patience! It's a struggle to wait for what He has in store for me, even though I know it will be more amazing than any instant thing of the world. Like Cecile said, this age we live in is one of instant everything… internet, Google, email, text messaging, and such… it gets us used to instant gratification. I pray that I will learn to be patient in The Lord.
Oh so true! In the middle of the desert, it doesn't make sense. But when I reach the "promised land" I can look back at my desert experience and laugh, praising God for all that He's brought me through. Like He said He would. Were it not for the times in captivity, my freedom would not have tasted so sweet. I can just imagine the Israelites…the overwhelming joy as they discover that their time wandering is over. God kept His promise. And He keeps His promise to us also. He is faithful. Thank you Lord!
Kari, thanks for posting that devotion.
“My timing isn’t his; it shouldn’t be pushed on others.” Ouch! This spoke to me so much today. I am probably the most impatient person I know. Impatient at work, impatient with my husband when I wished he’d make the point he’s trying to make, impatient with customers because oh man do I really have to go through explaining this for the umpteenth time or walking them through this or that when it is going to take more time than I would like. Lord, I need patience ina big way!
This is AWESOME! My husband for several reasons. 1) Learning to trust God's timing has been my biggest challenge/theme this year. God is so FAITHFUL. I just got a job I've been waiting on forever. But it wasn't the right time. He knew the plans he had for me, but I couldn't see it. He has slowly been teaching me that He is my provision, my truth, my security, my identity, and all I need. 2) The Passion 2013 album just came out, and yesterday and today I've been obsessed with a song called "The Lord our God." Tell me the Holy Spirit is not speaking to me with this… here are the lyrics:
Promise-maker, Promise-keeper
You finish what you begin
Our provision through the desert
You see it through till the end
You see it through till the end
The Lord our God is ever faithful
Never changes through the ages
From this darkness you will lead us
And forever we will say you're the Lord our God
In the silence, in the waiting
Still we can know you are good
All your plans are for your glory
Yes, we can know you are good
The Lord our God is ever faithful
Never changes through the ages
From this darkness you will lead us
And forever we will say you're the Lord our God
We won't move without you, we won't move without you
Your the light of all and all that we need, You're everything
(Repeat "The Lord our God" chorus over and over)
I mean, hello Holy Spirit! Anyway, everyone should go check out this song b/c it is the musical version of today's post. Praise God for being THE promise-keeper that loves us!!! I pray that all of you ladies are blessed by this today!
Also, I don't know why that top part says "my husband for several reasons. I think I was starting a thought and forgot to change it! Oops!
Beautiful lyrics! Thanks for sharing Jaime! I'm going to check out that song ASAP! It's funny…I can so relate to starting a sentence, then BOOM! I'm lead in a totally different direction. Lol! Oh and…I'm celebrating the new job with you too today!