Patience With People

"I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with long suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." 
(Ephesians 4:1-3) 

 "It may take only a year for a construction crew to put up a tall building, but God takes a century to grow a sturdy oak. " (Henry G. Boch -Our Daily Bread/1/24/1995) 

When I think about how patient God is with me, (with the various problems I have) why is it that I am not as patient with people and their short-comings?

One of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22b is "long-suffering." 
In the Greek, the meaning comes from two words which mean: "makros" (Long) and "thymos" (passion) "waiting sufficient time before expressing anger." 

 We need to develop a slow reaction to the hurt or harm that comes to us. We are to watch having a short fuse. Instead of blowing up, and saying words, we may regret later, we need to take time to gain an understanding of why the conflict came about, and mutually work at resolving the conflict.

Instead of attacking people, we need to attack the problems.
Life is too short to go through life harboring bitter feelings, and keeping a discouraging distance.

And if differences cannot be resolved, than it is better for one to be patient, and pray for a future time of reconciliation. To me that is what is involved in "long-suffering." GP

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Awaiting Answers

"For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry." (Habakkuk: 2:3) 

I am preaching this Sunday on "God's Timing"

God is never late, He is always on time, with the fulfillment of His purposes, for all man-kind, and for us. The bringing His Son into the world is a testimony to that.

The prophet Habakkuk was waiting to give the revelation concerning God's use of the nation of Babylon to punish Israel for their rebellion and disobedience. How God would do this, would be known at "an appointed time" And the prophet is told to "wait for it."

I along with so many, are impatient. We want answers now, we want results now, and we build up such anxiety in not knowing, that it about does us in. Why can't we wait for God"s revelations to us? Why are we so impatient?

I believe that we fail to have a trust in the God who made us, and knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our situations better than we know them. To think that He is not aware of the happenings in our lives, is quite the delusion. He knows!

And even though it is painful to wait. Know this, that at the right time, we will know, we will have an answer, even if that answer is a "NO" God will deliver us, at the time that fulfills His purposes for our lives, "Though His revelation to us tarries, "wait for it." GP

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The Patent On Patience

"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way. Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret---it only causes harm." (Psalm 37:7-8) 

I believe that God has the patent on patience. There is no time zone with Him, no boundaries of time whatsoever. With us, we are consumed with the countless activities, that have to be done in a certain way, and in a certain time.

And in a fast pace society like ours, waiting is a burden, not a blessing.
I have heard people say in times past; Don't ask God for patience, for He will send trials to teach us what it's all about!"

The advice of the Psalmist in our text is very good. "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him" 
In the time that you are waiting for the Lord to show up, and do something in regards to your anxious situation, take that time to fellowship with Him. Take that time to count your blessings, and remember the times when the Lord was faithful. Take that time to pray, and give the Lord your anxiety and frustration, concerning the difficulties you are dealing with.

He is big enough to handle them. Don't get upset with the situation, or with others, don't fret, or keep worrying about what could or couldn't happen. We should always hope in the Lord. That in His way, and in His time, He will orchestrate our deliverance, and bring us to a point of peace. GP

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How Long, O Lord?

"How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?" (Psalm 13:1-2) 

When we are going through a time of trial, one of the hardest parts of the experience, is waiting for the Lord to deliver us. The nation of Israel was in bondage 400 years, before the Lord delivered them from their slavery, and oppression in Egypt. In those times of enduring, we may feel like our waiting has been like 400 years.

In our text, David expresses the feeling of abandonment, that many of us have felt in times of trial. He asks the questions that we ask: God are you forgetting me? Are you hiding your face from me? How long do I need to be counseled in my soul? How long will I have sorrow in my heart? How long will you let the enemy have his way with me? You can just feel the anxiety and frustration in David's words.

The answer to the question of "How long?" is: We don't know how long it will be before deliverance and victory is ours in the Lord.

But David sets an example for us, that in our waiting time in trial, we can come before the Lord, humbly, and sincerely, and pour out our heart to Him. We can be honest about how we feel, and share our deepest concerns. David knew that God was alright with this.

We may not understand why God takes the time that He does, but we can understand, and take comfort in the fact that God cares for us deeply, and has not forgotten about us.

 As Psalm 121 reminds us that God is our keeper. He is our Shepherd, and we must trust that His leading is best. Would we want it any other way? GP

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I Want A New Daddy

Max Lucado tells about the time he and his wife took their oldest daughter Jenna, who was seven, to get her first bicycle. When they got to the store, three year old Andrea decided that she wanted a bicycle too. He says "I tried to reason with her, and told her that she couldn't reach the pedals, and wouldn't be able to ride it, and needed to wait a few years, to be able to enjoy it. Her response was loud enough for the whole store to hear: "If I can't have a new bike, then I want a new daddy!" 

David writes in Psalm 37:7 "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes." 

Too often we become impatient in the things we want to possess or accomplish. And if God doesn't provide us with what we want or need, in our way, and in our time, we step ahead of Him, and try to pursue those things on our own. Where does that lead us? It leads us down a path of disappointment, and dissatisfaction.

We need to stop buying into the lie that our first parents bought into:
"For God knows that in the day you eat from it (the tree of knowledge of good and evil) your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:5)

We don't know what is good for us, as much as God does. We don't need to step ahead of our heavenly Father. He always cares always about our welfare.

It's time we place our lives completely in His hands, and trust Him in all things! GP

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How Long?

"How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?" (Psalm 13:1-2) 

Four times David asked God, "How long?" Where was God, in David's troubled times?

We can definitely relate to this. At one time or another, we have gone through the same thing. We have felt abandoned by God. When we have gone through a difficult trial, how many of us have asked God, "How long?" When will you bring me the answer I need, in resolving this problem. or better yet, when will you deliver me completely, from this trial I am going through?

Yes, sometimes prayer means wrestling. In prayer, it is a process of working through various things involved in our trials. Over and over again we are reminded that we must "wait on the Lord" (such as Psalm 27:14) In His way, and in His time, He will answer our prayers, and He will respond in the way that is best.

Faith is not an easy endeavor. But the joy of it, is to know that we can bring our problems to the Lord, and abide in the shelter of His presence. Alone with God, we can struggle together. It a very miserable experience to suffer alone, but to have someone by our side, is priceless.
Our fellowship with God, makes our times of "How long" much easier! GP

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Sometimes We Have To Wait

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope." (Psalm 130:5)

What do you do, when you feel you have done all that you can do, to resolve a problem, or a conflict? Like the father of the prodigal son, who waited (who knows how long) for his son to come back. (Luke 15)

If there is one thing that I am not good at, it is waiting. I am not a very patient person. But in life, we are called to wait, no matter how hard it is. When it comes to God answering a prayer, and having us wait for His answer, it is a test of our faith.

I believe that many become discouraged when God has them wait, because they wonder if God will ever answer their prayer, or bring them resolution and restoration.

I heard a preacher say one time: "When you are down to nothing, God is up to something." I believe that God is working, and He is trying to affect change. The power of the Holy Spirit can do mighty things, but it takes time. But in the time of our waiting, we can be thankful for the fellowship, we can have with the Lord. We don't have to wait to be encouraged by Him, and His Word.

Just like a cell phone that must have it's charging time, God has us wait, to really encourage us, with both His presence, and His Word.

So let's not give up today! Let's wait for the Lord to come through for us, in His way, and in His time! GP

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