Waiting Requires Patience

We Americans are not known for our patience. We’re fans of fast food; we covet faster internet service; we expect to be able to connect with our loved ones instantly. We’re used to doing things on our schedule at the time we choose. However, the Bible tells us we need to wait for God’s timing, and this requires patience. a fruit of the Spirit.

How can we grow this fruit in our lives? Here are some suggestions.

1. We must endure. Often waiting requires some kind of suffering, which is unpleasant, even when that suffering is more mental than physical. However, we are promised that that there will be a reward:

“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

2. That brings us to the second thing we can do. Hope. We must remind ourselves of God’s promise:

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

3. Which means we must trust in that promise, even when we don’t understand.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. “Proverbs 3:5-6

4. We also must not sit idle. There is always work for us to do, even when we are in “waiting” mode.

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. “Galatians 6:9

Hmmm… that seems to take us back to endurance again!

Waiting may be uncomfortable, but it isn’t bad. It will teach us patience; we will learn to trust God; and in the end we will see that His timing is the best.

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“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 27:14

For more about patience see these posts:

A Different Kind of Fast

Have Patience

Producing Fruit

Strengthen Your Feeble Arms

“Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.  Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. ”  Hebrews 12:12

My husband has been preaching through the book of Hebrews (my favorite).  A few weeks ago, we heard about the great cloud of witnesses who surround us — those biblical and contemporary saints who went before us and suffered for the faith.  Then we learned about discipline, how we should submit to it because God is building our character through it.  Last week’s sermon started with the verse above.  The therefore means we should pay attention to what has come before.  Because we are one in a long line of saints, because we have endured the Lord’s discipline, we are to continue to be strong in order to encourage others.

I have to admit that lately I’ve been feeling rather weak.  I’m getting older (turning 70 later this month) and this coronavirus situation has dealt a blow.  A month or more of enforced isolation somehow lessened my desire to get out and accomplish things.  Church is more difficult — people are uneasy and quick to accuse others of not doing the right thing, some are not attending at all, finances are suffering.  We’re uncertain about the future, and frankly, I’m not sure I’m up to being an optimistic leader right now.

The verse about tells me that quitting is not an option.  We are to remain strong, not only for ourselves but for others.  Any suffering we encounter is simply a consequence of our sinful humanity, and as the author puts it in verse 4:

“In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”  Hebrews 12:5

The last chapter of the book closes with a list of things we can be doing no matter how daunting our situation.  Take a look:

• “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy.” (12:14)
•  “See to it that no one misses the grace of God, and that no bitter root grows up” (12:15)
• “Keep on loving each other as brothers.” (13:1)
• “Do not forget to entertain strangers” (13:2)
• “Remember those in prison” (13:3)
• “Marriage should be honored by all” (13:4)
•  “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.” (13:5)
• “Remember your leaders” (13:7)
• “Pray for us” (13:18)

There’s more, but this gives you a taste.  There is much to be done.  We’re to continue serving God and serving others — this much is certain.  Weak knees are not an excuse!

For more on the book of Hebrews, see these posts:

Interactive Bible Study -Hebrews Chapter 12

Interactive Bible Study-Hebrews Chapter 13

Thankful for Others –Hebrews Chapter 12

Thankful for Leaders –Hebrews Chapter 13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope’s Highest Mountain – Book Review

I always like to start my reviews with a little bit of information about the author. Misty M. Beller is an author who has set her stories in the 1800’s frontier. She has several well-received series and this is the first in a new series titled “Hearts of Montana”.

This book is a fiction book but I can believe that some of the incidents and locations referred to in the story exist or have existed.

Hope’s Highest Mountain is about a young woman named Ingrid Chastain and her journey to a settlement to deliver a smallpox vaccination. The book starts with a horrifying accident that claims the lives of her entire traveling party, including her father. She is found in freezing conditions, seriously hurt by a “mountain man” who later turns out to be a doctor with a past.

I do not typically read this genre of book, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was enthralled by the storyline and once started I did not want to put it down. The author uses descriptive language to bring the reader into the physical surroundings and paints the picture so well, I sometimes thought I could feel the cold.

I also loved that the main character’s Christianity was soft in its delivery but firm in the showing of her faith. You were led into the story of her hero’s walk back to faith in a believable way.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a Christian romance with sustenance.

I have received a free copy of this book in return for an honest and fair review – Disclaimer according to FTC 16 CFR Part 255

You may purchase this book at the link below:

 

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Hopes-Highest-Mountain-Hearts-Montana-ebook/dp/B07NNPQF9D/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1NLITC62ABL03&keywords=hope%27s+highest+mountain+by+misty+m.+beller&qid=1575167084&sprefix=hope%27s+highest+mont%2Caps%2C348&sr=8-1

Everything According To God’s Plan & Timing

Good morning everyone! Welcome to today’s blog post on our Ecclesiastes 3 series! If this is your first time joining us please go into our archives and read the other posts for this month. They are awesome! I thank all of our regular readers for following along with this Bible Study series, planted in the words of God through King Solomon! Let’s get going, continuing with verses 14&15…

And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him. What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.

This is what I see in these verses…

God’s has the last say and things will happen exactly as He has planned.

Our main objective in life is to fear God… to respect and stand in awe of who He is.

The things that are going on in the world are not new concepts and neither are the things that will happen in the future.

History repeats itself.

Wow, this is mind-blowing! But then if you think about it…is it really? Reflecting on my life, there are things that I experienced that I can clearly see as God’s plan. As hard as they were to be faced with, I know deep in my heart that it was God’s purpose for my life… the things I suffered in my childhood, my mother dying of cancer when I was 16, the year of torment I suffered following her death, meeting my now husband at the end of that year, gaining a new mom in the process (my now mother in law, Mary), having children at a younger age, almost dying giving birth to our younger daughter Kirsten, being advised after her birth that I should not have any more children, the devastating finality of having my tubes tied at age 23, learning to navigate through my marriage and being a parent when I harbored so much anger and mistrust (all at the expense of my family), overcoming addictive habits, being estranged from my father for 9 years.

Then God took hold of my life, at just the right time. He gave me a new life, a new family, made the family I helped create become stronger and more unified, helped to mend the broken relationship between my dad and I, solidified my marriage with Him at the helm, made me a better parent, helped me to grow quality relationships with my daughters, help me to also grow quality relationships with other family and friends.

I couldn’t have done it without looking at the world through my “God goggles”, changing the lens by which I view the world around me. And for that I stand in awe… God leaves me speechless a lot. I can see the intricacies of how He works, how He operates. And sometimes all I can do is just smile.

Now, when I experience life, I am well equipped and those experiences don’t cripple me like they used to. History has repeated itself in my life, all part of God’s plan. But the peace… the strength… the power I have to get through those trials, comes from a mighty God, the love of my Savior, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And I continually stand in awe of God… remembering the great works He has done in my life… remembering that I need to look at my trials as great joy, because when my faith is tested, my endurance has a chance to grow… and God says when my endurance grows and is fully developed, I will be perfect, complete, and need nothing else. (James 1:2-4)

And to always stand in awe, just like the Apostle Paul did when he wrote to the church in Ephesus…

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. Eph. 1:5-11

How about you? Do you understand that everything happens according to God’s plan? Do you fear, respect, and stand in awe of who He is? Can you look at your past and determine how you will be changed when history repeats itself? Do you count your trials as great joy? Do you embrace your faith being tested and remember that your endurance is giving you a chance to grow? Do you understand that when your endurance to navigate this life is fully developed you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing else? Do you realize that God chose you in advance to make everything work out according to His plan?

God loves you and so do I?

Leslie

 

photo courtesy of imgrum.org