Patience

"I am extraordinarily patient provided I get my own way in the end" - Margaret Thatcher


This quote is so me it's unreal. Everytime I hear or read the word 'patience' i cringe, probably because I would just love to think I have lots of patience for everyone and everything when in reality it's quite the opposite...sure we all have the ability to have lots of patience for the things that don't really need a whole lot of it. For example I have lots of patience for my little sister even when she sticks her fingers up my nose or throws a tantrum or catapults (yes catapults) her dinner all over me or wipes her snot on my cardigan when she's tired...(i could go on and on here but I digress) the point I am trying to put across here is this; I have patience for her because I know after the tantrum or before she goes to bed I'll get the cutest little kiss or the most beautiful smile or she'll reach her little arms up to me for a cuddle that makes the whole day worthwhile. I know from experience that the trials of the day with her won't last because at the end of the day she still loves me....now why is that I struggle on a daily basis to have patience for a breakthrough of God in my life because I know that He loves me too. **sigghh**

It's funny how God can use our daily struggles to teach us a little life lesson. Recently I managed to get myself in a lot of trouble with money, whilst I'm not lacking in responsibility for the problem I would like to add, if my job was giving me the 30 hours I am contracted for rather than the 10 they are giving me I wouldn't be in as much trouble, but again, I digress...I have been looking for another job, one full time in the long term or part term to add to the one ive got for now, whatever I'm not fussy-I just need the money-I had been praying for a very long time RE the issue and I remember a specific conversation I had with a good friend I believe the words she used were "maybe God is teaching you patience" *queue cringeing, shuddering, and, overdramatic eye rolling* my reply was "I have lots of patience, God just doesn't work fast enough" (eeek, did i really say that out loud..?) The turning point came when I was praying one night "God how many times do I need to ask you for a job?" I had to stop myself because instead of praying in faith that God would pull through for me I was praying a thousand times over to make myself feel better about the doubt I was experienceing. It's not about how many times you pray for something it's what you believe when you pray.


Surprisingly enough there isn't a whole lot in the bible about *HOW* we can learn patience...helpful huh? ;) Infact most of the verses regarding patience are all about how God is patient with us.

1 Timothy 1:16 says "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. I'm proof—Public Sinner Number One—of someone who could never have made it apart from sheer mercy. And now he shows me off—evidence of his endless patience" -Message

You know, even though this doesn't teach us directly how to have patience  we can still learn from it.
Jesus has patience with us, not just any patience...ENDLESS patience because lets face it, we're all human and nobody is perfect, we make mistakes, we think our way is better, and ultimately, a lot of us just don't trust God with the bigger things in life. It's hard relinquishing that control. Thank goodness for God's grace and his wonderful patience right? ;)

So if God can have patience with us, mere humans who change every day, surely we can have a little bit of patience for the dude that created the whole world, whose ways *and timing* are perfect and who was and is the very same God who never changes...oui? yeah i thought so too.

Why do we get so worried that God won't pull through for us?
I guess what we need to learn is that Gods timing is perfect always, so if a job has fallen through or a situation you've been praying about isn't resolving it is most likely because He has something much better up His sleeve because ultimately He wants the best for us.

James 5:10-11 "Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You've heard, of course, of Job's staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That's because God cares, cares right down to the last detail." -Message

comforting right? :)