A Lesson in Patience

Ladies, please forgive me for just now posting this! It's a little late.......

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My mom recently learned a lesson in patience, and I wanted to share it with you, in hopes that through it you will see just how important it is to wait on the Lord! This story may seem like a small thing to you, but it was really really neat for us!

Back in January, Mama had contacted a local cabinet maker. She wanted him to make her a big bookcase for our den. She knew he was a very busy man, and that she would therefore have to wait a couple months for him to be ready to come by to pick up her drawing for the bookcase. But she was not prepared for how long it really took, and she began to grow impatient. Month after month rolled by, with no word from him. She called and called and called some more and all he would ever say was that he was really busy but would get to her as soon as possible. More months went by, and more calls were made, and nothing happened. One day, a few weeks ago, she called once more. A man who works for the cabinet maker answered the phone. They talked for a few minutes about the bookcase and about the cabinet maker's schedule. One of the last things this man said before they hung up was, "Well, there's a reason for everything. Obviously there's some reason why it's taken so long." And indeed, there was.

About a week or two ago, Mama was looking at her drawing of her desired bookcase, as she had many times in the past, just to check and make sure once again that there was nothing at all that she wanted to change about it. For the very first time, she discovered that there actually was something that needed changed! And do you know what happend?! You can probably guess! Just a couple short hours after Mama discovered the change that needed to be made, the cabinet maker called letting her know that he was ready to stop by to pick up the drawing, so that he could get to work on the bookcase. Mama was amazed!!! She knew that that was the Lord. He had taught her a lesson that I know she will never forget!

What might have happened if the Lord had allowed her to have her way, and she could've gotten her bookcase started in a much shorter time? She would have paid for a bookcase that wasn't what she truly wanted. She would have been upset, sad, possibly even angry. But the omnipotent Lord God Whom we serve, knew what was best for her, and thus He made her wait. He taught her a valuable lesson in patience!

So, dear ladies, let this true story serve as a reminder and inspiration to you, especially during those times of long waiting. The Lord always knows what is best for us! All we need to do is trust in Him, be patient, and wait for His perfect timing.

Lord Give Me Patience!

I know I haven't been on in a while. I have been busy. Well today, I had to stay home from school because my ride got sick. So I get to write with you all today! Hallelujah!
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Patience means waiting!
What do I mean by this? I mean, we have to realize that we do not get the gratification we want at the moment, but have to wait for the time when the Lord thinks it is right for them to obtain it.
We ask the Lord to give us patience, but He doesn't give us Patience, He gives us the opportunity to learn patience! Life is full of lessons needing to be learned, and if we need to have a virtue, the only way we are going to receive it, is by learning with the hardships and trials that the Lord sets before us to grow!
Begging the Lord to send us the right man, saying we are ready for him, not realizing that maybe we have a lesson in patience and humilty to learn! And whatever lesson he has for us, it is for our good!
I found that I do not like my college experience, and therefore am asking God to do everything He can short of causing me to become invalid, to get me out of the situation. But I have heard the voice inside me say, " Finish out the Quarter, this is your lesson in patience!" Very well, Lord, if that is your wish!" He doesn't want me to be there, and I am getting a lot of flack from feminist family members, who think I need to be properly socialized. But the wishes of my Dad and my God come first!
So, what am I going to do in the meantime? Wait patiently for the Lord to reveal it to me! In that meantime, I am working on getting my first book published! Hallelujah! That also requires a great deal of patience!
May God be with us, and give us continuous lessons of Patience for us to learn!
In Christ,
Laura H

The Waiting Game

When I think of patience, the first thought that pops into my mind is typically that of short term patience--the waiting in a long, annoying line type of patience. There are so many little irritating situations that might come up day to day that require a bit of patience on our parts,but, truly, patience is much more than that. Patience is about persevering with a joyful heart when times are tough, waiting on God's time for blessings that might be to come, and using this time He has provided to prepare effectively for what the future might hold. Many times in my life, I have sought God's counsel on this or that choice/plan, only to be told to wait. Several times I was deeply disappointed when I had to wait for something yet again, but came to realize through more time in prayer and reading the Word, that there are tasks I must undertake to be ready for what has in store for me. God's timing is perfect, and He always knows what we are ready for, even when we may think otherwise. Learning to humbly submit to the "waiting game" He may have in store for us at different points in life is so very important.

There are many events in life that we quite naturally have to wait for, and seeing God's perfect plans in action are just marvels to me. As children we must submit to our parent's authority and wise leadership as we are not ready to lead ourselves. The blessings of knowledge and wisdom come from learning, watching, and waiting. We wait again as young ladies to see what path in life God might be calling us to. Our future husbands are people we must wait to meet and marry, and our callings as wives & helpmeets something we must spend ample time preparing for. When our newlywed minds begin hoping & praying to have children, waiting happens yet again. We must wait on God's time to be blessed with a little one in the womb, and must wait many months to meet this new member of the family. All during this waiting, our time must be spent patiently growing and learning for our impending motherhood joys. By God's wise design, much of our lives, particularly our youth, is spent waiting, growing, and preparing ourselves for blessings and callings to come in the future. Submitting ourselves to His will allows us to develop our character and to learn of & develop our gifts to better serve God & our families, both now and in the future. We have wonderful opportunities to not only prepare for the future might hold, but to accept our waiting game with patience, humility, and contentment, and honor our Heavenly Father while doing so. Our patient waiting can bring us many fruitful blessings: answered prayers, spiritual maturity, wisdom, hope, and the deep pleasures of knowing and relying on our King more & more.

When our Heavenly Father tells you to wait, delight in this opportunity He has given you and do your best to accept this time with a joyful heart. Take the time to speak with Him daily, finding out what you might need to learn or master for the future. Seek His will and look around you to see what special help you might be able to assist people with. Know that even though you are waiting, you are not wasting your time or remaining idle in your place. God has a special plan for you right in the spot He has put you in for this bit of time. And do remember, you are in good company as many of God's dearest children had times of trial and patient waiting in their lives. Abraham, Job, and Jesus are just a few of those called to a such a season, and each of their stories can serve as good encouragement to us. :o)


Picture Credit

Preserving patience through times of challenge

I think a great part of being patient comes through trusting God and submitting to His will always, knowing He loves us and knows best. So today, I want to share with you a post I wrote a while back on my blog:

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When we pray with all our heart for something, and it just doesn't happen, what do we feel? An unmarried woman praying for a husband; a woman struggling with infertility and crying out to God; a family praying for the healing of a dear sweet child; what are they supposed to do, when they feel their prayers have been left unanswered?

I know several people in such situations; they turn to God, and from the sacred deeps of their hearts, they beg: 'Please, dear God. Just let it happen. My life is worthless if you won't make it happen'. And sometimes the childless are left childless, the unmarried walk the path of life alone despite all their efforts, and our loved ones leave us. I know people who have distanced themselves from God because they feel He hasn't been listening to them. 'I was faithful, I was a true believer, I prayed… but He didn't keep His end of the bargain!'

I believe that this attitude comes from perceiving God as someone who is inclined to punish us, someone harsh and merciless, rather than the kind, loving Father He is to all of us. Our souls are laid out in front of him like an open book. He didn't bring us into this world for a life of misery. He wants us to be happy, contented, industrious and productive.

Does it mean we will always get what we want? No.

There have been several times in my life when I wanted something badly, up to the point when I thought I can't live without it. Then my wish came true and… it made me miserable! Yes, that very thing I pursued with every beat of my heart. The thing I claimed I can't live without. How can it be?

Obviously, not everything we want is right for us. I remember when I was little, I told my mother that 'when I grow up I will have lots of money and will spend it all on sweets'… well, now that more than a few years have passed, I've realized I'm probably never going to have a lot of money – which doesn't bother me the least bit – and I will certainly not waste it all on sweets!

Suppose I will become a mother someday, God willing. Imagine me, some years from now, walking down the street with my adorable daughter. In the window of a large shop, she notices a Bratz doll, and begs: 'oh, please, Mommy, can I have this doll? Pretty please!'; I take a good long look and see that the doll does not bring out the qualities I want to instill in my daughter for the years to come: modesty and a sweet, quiet, nurturing spirit of a future wife and mother. But how can I properly explain this to a 5-year-old? She begs and pleads and eventually throws a tantrum, and in the end turns her little tear-stricken face towards me, and screams: 'I hate you!'

How this breaks a mother's heart. And how God must feel when He knows our bitterness and resentment towards Him. We choose what's best for our children. Sometimes we can explain our actions. Sometimes we know they will not understand until they've grown up. This is when we ask them to trust our judgment. Trust. This is the key word. Sometimes it's difficult beyond measure; sometimes we just can't accept it. How can this be good, we ask? How can this be right? But we must learn to trust Him. This is probably the most important thing we will ever do.

Patience

As we open yet another month, and talk about patience this time, I must make a confession to you ladies, and admit this is something I constantly struggle with. I'm terribly quick-tempered and easily annoyed when something doesn't go the way I want to. What a terrible character trait for anyone, especially for a woman who sees marriage and family as her goal!

In different points of our lives, we might need patience for various things, but it will still be very much needed nevertheless. Right now it might be in waiting for marriage, for our Prince Charming. Later on it will be needed for being considerate and gentle with out husbands and children, not losing patience after the umpteenth diaper or load of laundry. And there are of course many other things that have the potential to test our patience; every relationship we have, be it with a relative or friend; habits we are doing our best to cultivate – generosity, hospitality, neatness, orderliness – all of these require a great deal of patience.

So I decided that from now on, whenever I feel I'm approaching the point where I'm about to lose control, I will close my eyes, breathe deeply and make myself slow down. And I will ask myself the following questions:

* Do I have a good reason to be impatient, angry, frustrated? Probably not. Most likely what makes me annoyed is just a normal, average everyday thing.

* Even if I have real trials, it was all determined by God. Why can't I accept it with love and a patient smile?

* If I let myself go now, will I regret it in an hour? Probably.

* Do you think it is fun to live with someone so impatient? How can you ever become a good wife without cultivating the virtue of patience?

And here are a few practical methods I've been using lately myself, to train myself in patience and pleasantness. They have been helpful to me, and I would love to hear more suggestions from you, dear maidens!

* When I feel I'm going to lose my temper, I'm going to remain silent. If I can't say anything nice and peaceful, better say nothing. Even if it looks foolish or unfriendly, it's preferable to scathing remarks.

* I'm going to practice doing things that frustrate me; and I'm going to try to do them with a smile on my face! Examples: washing dishes, standing in a line in the supermarket, waiting for the bus.

* I'll do my best to be pleasant to others, even if they are unpleasant to me, and even if I'm tired, nervous or busy.

I'm wishing you a month - and a lifetime - of growing in this incredibly important virtue of patience, which comes hand in hand with maturity and controlling your whims, and which, if you invest in it now, will bless you and your loved ones beyond measure in the future, near and far, as daughters, sisters, wives, mothers, aunts, cousins and friends.

Quotes on Patience

Patience will achieve more than force.
Edmund Burke

Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast.
William Shakespeare

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1


Patient waiting is often the highest way of doing God’s will.
Jeremy Collier

Let nothing disturb thee;
Let nothing dismay thee;
All things pass;
God never changes.
Patience attains
All that it strives for.
St. Teresa de Cepeda