The Essence of Patience

I hate waiting.


I hate the unknown.


I hate the limbo land of "not knowing".


 When we're in the midst of situations that require us to wait, that require patience from us, we pray, "Dear LORD, please give me patience". I think we expect Him to just pour a little bit of liquid patience over the bannister of heaven, and then we will automatically be filled with patience and contentment while waiting for our situations to work themselves out. Ha.


I'm finding that this is not the case. 


James chapter 1 verses 2 & 3 say, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."


Hmm.


Did you catch that? What is it that works patience? Oh, right. The trying of our faith.


So, what these verses are telling me, is that, it is in the midst of the tough situations that patience is worked in us. There is no magical elixir that gets poured into us from above. There is no, "Bam!" and now you've got patience. 


Did you know that Patience has a twin sister? Her name is Trust.


Each moment in limbo-land, you can either lose your mind from worry or you can give your worries to God, and in the midst of the unknown, say, "Ok LORD, I don't know what you're doing here. But I trust that you are working this out for my good and your glory." 


In my experience, Trust is the very essence of Patience. The moment that first cold prickle of fear slides down your spine or grips your heart, that is the time to close your eyes, and say, "LORD, I trust you." 


As a person with anxiety issues, I know I must say this at least a hundred thousand times a day. The alternative is to spend my life in a perpetual anxiety attack. 


I'd rather not. 


It's difficult, and I struggle with this on a daily basis, in different aspects of my life. There is one particular circumstance that is really driving me crazy right now. But I know that God is working not just in that situation, but also in me. 


He is trying my faith and working patience in my heart, mind, and will.

“Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow - that is patience.”